Sweet sweet Friday: Fruity Sorbet

I am writing this while eating a fragment of Easter egg, so it seems hypocritical to say I thought you might fancy something fruity after last weekend's chocolate fest. Then again, this particular fruity delight is very good with chocolate, so there's still something in it for you if you didn't overdo it.

My friend Steve taught me how to make this sorbet years and years and years ago. He's always been a clever and intuitive cook, though his initial instructions for this sorbet were too clever by half, going on about super-saturated solutions and other scientific boondoggrely. For those of you who left science behind after School Cert or whatever its equivalent is these days, all you need to know is that you need the same ratio of sugar syrup to pureed fruit or juice. Or maybe you just need this recipe.

Fruit Sorbet

One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need any fancy equipment, except for a blender or food processor. The other good thing is that you can use any fruit you like, though it's best to go for something tart to balance out the sugar. If you're using juice, lemons, oranges or grapefruit are all good. If you're using fruit - I used a bag of Omega plums that were past their best - you need to poach it first in a little water, then push it through a sieve (tedious but worth it).

 

500ml freshly squeezed fruit juice, strained of pulp and pips, or fruit puree

250g sugar

250ml water

1-2 egg whites

 

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a quiet boil until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool, then add the juice/puree.

Pour into a plastic container with a lid and freeze for at least five hours.

Let it defrost slightly, then blend it in a food processor or blender with an egg white or two. The mixture will increase in volume and turn a lighter colour.

Pour it back into the plastic container and freeze again - it will take another couple of hours to be frozen enough.

The plum one is really good with a chocolate sauce (heat 200ml cream to a simmer, drop in 150g dark chocolate, remove from heat and stir until melted, then pour over). Alternatively, just chop up some chocolate and sprinkle it on top, with a jug of cream on the side.

Have a good weekend, everyone. I'm hoping for enough sun to plant some peas, as inspired by my gardening guru. Oh, and then I'm going to a tequila tasting! What are you planning to get up to?