Lime Sherbet and Lime Sorbet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and one of our grandsons share a love of green desserts. The little one adores mint and pistachio, while his grandfather is inordinately fond of the tart lime variety. The last two weeks have been packed with fun and laughter and lots of good food, but for one reason or another a lime dessert never made it to the table. Things are beginning to quiet down now, and I thought this would be a good time to make a treat or two specifically for the Silver Fox. He requested a lime milk shake, but in order to make one I needed lime sherbet. What we have in our stores is not worthy of the name, so the first step in making the milk shake was to make lime sherbet. Sherbet is like a sorbet to which milk or cream is added. Both are really easy to make, especially if you have an ice cream freezer. I'm including recipes for both of them today and tomorrow I plan to feature the milk shake that Bob so enjoys. I use fresh key lime juice to make both these ices, but that is only because I can buy it at the Hispanic grocery I frequent. I have, by the way, been known to use commercially bottled juice, and while it works well in these recipes, I do find it has a slightly more metallic taste than the fresh juice. Lovers of the not so sweet usually love these ices. I think some of you might too. Here's how they are made.

Lime Sherbet ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons lime zest
3/4 cup lime juice
3 cups half and half
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:
1) Zest and juice limes.
2) Combine zest and juice with half and half, and sugar.
3) Pour mixture into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions.
4) When frozen thick, serve right away or transfer to plastic container and place in freezer until ready to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Lime Sorbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 Cups sugar
2 Cups water
1-1/2 cups lime juice (about 12 limes)
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest

Directions:
1) Mix water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer without stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool completely.
2) While simple syrup is cooking, begin squeezing lime juice. Strain juice to remove pulp. Add zest to juice. Refrigerate until simple syrup cools.
3) Combine juice and syrup in ice cream maker and process, using manufacturers directions, until frozen. This can take up to an hour. Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours to harden. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.







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You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tropical Summer Sherbet in Orange Shells - The Daily Dish
Limoncello Mint Sorbet - Culinary Cory
Valencia Orange Sherbet- Cooking By the Seat of My Pants
Root Beer Sherbet - Big Red Kitchen
Blackberry Sherbet - Moogie and Pap


This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet Two Ways

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our green markets and farm stands are flooded with waves of local watermelon and strawberries that come from nearby states. I, of course, continue to over-buy, and, even with a house full of company, find myself left with small amounts of each that not much can be done with. Unless, of course, you think sorbet. Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water that is flavored with fruit, wine or liqueur. Unlike sherbet, it contains no milk or cream. While I'd like to think the first sorbet was made by a housewife or cook who had a dilemma similar to mine, I can't claim that to be the truth. Oral history, in fable form, credits the Roman Emperor Nero for the creation of sorbet in the 1st century. It's said that runners along the Appian way passed containers of snow, bucket brigade-style, down the mountains to his kitchens where it was mixed with honey and wine to produce a sorbet-like dessert. Culinary historians credit Marco Polo for bringing a similar dessert to Italy from China in the 13th century. They believe sorbet was brought from Italy to France by Catherine de' Medici at the time of her marriage to the Duke of Orleans, who would later become Henry II of France. It was well received and by the end of the 17th century it was served in the streets of Paris and had spread to England. As a matter of fact, Hannah Glasse has a recipe for sorbet in her cookbook, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. As desserts go, this one is really easy to do. It generally is made with a simple syrup to which a fruit puree is added. It can be made with or without an ice cream maker, and for that reason you'll find two recipes for sorbet below. The combination of watermelon and strawberry makes an especially nice sorbet. Whichever recipe you use, I know you'll be pleased. There is nothing here not to like.

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet I

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

Directions:
1) Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2) Place watermelon, strawberries and sugar syrup in a blender. Cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Strain and discard seeds and pulp. Transfer puree to a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Freeze for 1 hour or until edges begin to firm.
3) Stir in mint. Freeze 2 hours longer or until firm. Just before serving, transfer to a blender; cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Yield: 6 servings.

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet II...courtesy of John Besh

Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, hulled
1 cup diced, seeded watermelon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
1) In blender, puree strawberries, watermelon, lemon juice and sugar until smooth. Check that puree has correct amount of sugar. Add more sugar or juice if necessary. How do you know you've added enough? You should be able to float an egg, still in its shell, in the puree.
2) Transfer puree to canister of an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Keep sorbet in freezer until ready to use. Serves 6.







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Two Years Ago Today: Lemon Custard

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cherry Sherbet - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Chocolate Sorbet - Wonderfoodland
Berry Basil Sorbet - Former Chef
Pina Colada Sorbet - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Limoncello Mint Sorbet - Culinary Cory

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Pear Sorbet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet of some renown. I'm sure he never dreamed his words would be used to review a recipe, but one of his poems sums up the dilemma I have with today's recipe. I suspect, wittingly or not, you've committed his verse about the little girl who had a little curl, to memory. I'm going to paraphrase the verse to suit the needs of my review, so I'll continue on and say, that when this pear sorbet is good, it is very very good, but when it is bad it is horrid. Horrid? Yup, like many recipes that use only a handful of ingredients, this one works only if you use top quality ingredients. That means your pears must be seasonal and ripe and that the wine you use must be sweet, not cloying, and of drinkable quality. A good Riesling would be perfect, but pear or apple cider are acceptable substitutes. Apple juice will overpower the flavor of the pears, so I can't recommend its use here. This is a fairly sophisticated sorbet and I would not serve it to everyone, but those with discerning palates will love it. Here's the recipe.

Pear Sorbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
5 small pears, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sweet Riesling or sauterne (pear or apple cider may be substituted)
1/3 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pears are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
2) Pour mixture into a food processor; cover and process for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch dish. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.
3) Just before serving, process again in a food processor for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Spoon into dessert dishes. Yield: 4 servings.







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Two Years Ago Today: Lemon Tea Cookies






You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cherry Sherbet - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Chocolate Sorbet - Wonderfoodland
Berry Basil Sorbet - Former Chef
Pina Colada Sorbet - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Limoncello Mint Sorbet - Culinary Cory

Strawberry Sorbet - 1000 Post Milestone

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's official, and, for good or ill, there are now 1000 posts and recipes on One Perfect Bite. It's a milestone I never dreamed we'd reach, but it has happened and it looks like we're still going strong. The number really surprised me because it's one I don't track. Were it not for a congratulatory reminder, I'd have missed my own party. That means I have no great plans or mind bending recipes to share with you tonight. Just small thoughts and a tiny treasure of a recipe that I hope you'll find appealing. While plans for the next few months include a minor face lift for my aging "baby" and the creation of an indexed recipe collection, there will be no major changes to One Perfect Bite. I want to stay on this platform for another year and keep what I say and do here as conversational and informal as I possibly can. I continue to resist the impulse to become "professional" . Were there a category for a voice like mine I'd jump at the chance, but the sheer number and volume of professionals vying for your ears would mute mine and force a type of conformity that would change the nature of One Perfect Bite. I don't want that to happen, so, change here will be a very gradual thing.

Today's feature uses exactly 3 ingredients. It's a recipe for strawberry sorbet that was developed by Family Circle magazine. I really like this recipe because it can be made without an ice cream maker. It's really easy to do, but its taste is completely dependent on the flavor of the berries you use. This sorbet will make your socks go up and down - and curl your toes - when it is made with small field ripend berries. I know you'll like it. Here's the recipe.

Strawberry Sorbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
2 quarts strawberries, hulled (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup lemon-lime soda
Mint for garnish (optional)

Directions
1) In a medium-size heavy-bottom saucepan, stir together 3/4 cup water and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool.
2) In a food processor, puree strawberries with soda. Add sugar syrup and process until combined. Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan and freeze for 4 to 4-1/2 hours, until frozen solid.
3) Scrape into a food processor and process briefly until smooth but not melted. Spoon back into metal pan and freeze for an additional 1 to 2 hours before serving.
4) Form into balls with an ice cream scoop; serve in dessert dishes and garnish with mint leaves if desired. Yield: 6 cups.








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Two Years Ago Today: Himalayan Poppies








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Blueberry Banana Sorbet - Jane's Sweets and Baking Journal
Margarita Sorbet - Cook's Book
Pink Grapefruit Sorbet - Stylish Cuisine
Chocolate Sorbet Recipe - Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy
Mango Sorbet - The Parsley Thief
Meyer Lemon Sorbet - Christine's Cuisine
Cantaloupe Sorbet - Our Life in the Kitchen
Blueberry Sorbet - Gourmet Recipes
Chocolate Coconut Sorbet - Lisa is Cooking
Lemon Sorbet - Honey and Soy
Cranberry Sorbet - The Culinary Vampire
Persimmon Lime Sorbet - Coconut and Lime

Assorted Creams and Ices - Pink Saturday

We've had an unexpected return to warmer weather here in Oregon. Rather than roast beets or make borscht, I thought it might be fun to reprise some of the pink ices we've featured here this past year. You can link to the recipes to find out how they were made and what we were thinking when they were originally featured. I hope you'll enjoy them.

I've a bit of housekeeping to share with you as well. I've added a print feature to the blog that allows printing of all or portions of each post. I've temporarily placed it at the top of each entry where it can be better seen. I'll move it to a less conspicuous area once folks are aware the function has been added.





Peppermint Ice Cream












Cranberry Chambord Sorbet











Pink Grapefruit Sorbet











Sour Cherry Gelato










Pink Lemonade Granita







This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Grapefruit Sorbet - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light and lovely dessert that's a perfect way to end a heavy summer meal. I started to make this sorbet when ruby red grapefruit juice became available at our warehouse store. There are purists who will insist the ice should be made with fresh grapefruit juice. They are right, but there are times when life gets in the way and shortcuts become necessary. It's also hard to set those shortcuts aside when they are successful. My recipe relies on commercial grapefruit juice, but uses a scant spoonful of zest to heighten the taste of the finished sorbet. I also use vodka in this recipe because it helps prevent the sorbet from becoming impossibly hard in the freezer. This is a trick that works well with all homemade ice cream. I hope those of you who enjoy tart desserts will give this one a try. The recipe was originally develop Chef Chris Green who works for the Viking test kitchen. It is easy and delicious. Here's the recipe.

Grapefruit Sorbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Chris Green

Ingredients:
2 large ruby grapefruits, juiced, or 1-1/2 cups pink grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon grapefruit zest (zest before juicing grapefruit)
1/2 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vodka

Directions:
1) Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Cool completely.
2) Combine grapefruit juice, zest and sugar/water mixture with vodka in a metal bowl. Chill in refrigerator or by placing the metal bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice water until 40 degrees.
3) Pour chilled mixture into container of an ice cream machine and churn until frozen. Scoop frozen sorbet into a container. Seal and transfer container to freezer for several hours to allow sorbet to firm up. It can be kept frozen for up to 3 days. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chocolate Sorbet - Elana's Pantry
Sweet Tea Sorbet - The Runaway Spoon
Mango Sorbet - Family Spice
Cherry Lime Sorbet - Momofuku for 2
Cucumber Sorbet - Healthy Green Kitchen
Bing Cherry Sorbetto - Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cranberry Chambord Sorbet - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely palate cleanser to serve at the end of a heavy meal. I try to keep a quart of it in the freezer for those who don't like, or have room for, more traditional holiday desserts. Sorbet is a frozen dessert that's a bit like gelato, but it's softer and contains no dairy products. It's made with sugar and a fruit puree and it's suitable for vegan diets. This lovely recipe is an adaption of one that appeared in Relish Magazine. It can be made with raspberry or orange liqueur or orange juice. I've added a pinch of salt and some lemon juice to the original recipe. We are of two minds in our house. Bob loves it with Chambord while I prefer it made with Cointreau or orange juice. Chambord always seems to win. This particular recipe uses an ice cream freezer but it can be made without one using the directions that you'll find here. This is very easy to do. Here's the recipe.

Cranberry Chambord Sorbet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 (12-oz.) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raspberry liqueur or strained fresh orange juice
1 pinch kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
1) Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries pop, about 5 minutes.
2) Remove from heat and stir in liqueur or orange juice, salt and lemon juice.
3) Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a shallow pan; use back of a spoon to press as much liquid as possible from berries. Chill strained liquid for 2 hours.
4) When mixture is very cold, pour it into canister of an ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Spoon into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze fro one hour or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Yield 6 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.