Endless Sorbet Summer

A requirement when getting married is creating your bridal registry.  I'm sure we all have stories, both good and bad, of wandering through the multitude of kitchen, bedroom, bathroom items with that 'gun', trying not to be too trigger-happy, but trying to make sure you scan in everything you may possibly need for the next 50+ years.  Luckily, my husband and I agree on most things (he mostly defaults to my opinion!), but the 1 item he insisted on was an ice cream maker.  Since ice cream is at the top of the list of my cravings and indulgences, who was I to argue?  For quite a while it kept the bread maker, food processor and kitchen-aid company in the cabinet, until I calculated the cost of buying ice cream at the grocery store vs. making it from scratch.  What a difference!  And the taste is incomparable!

During these dog days of summer, we all want something cold and refreshing.  My waistline can't tolerate eating ice cream every day (although....well... it might be worth it), so how about sorbet?  Essentially frozen juice, dairy free and low-fat!  Then I was hooked!  The possibilities are endless!  I've figured out that if you start with about 4 cups of liquid (juice, simple syrup) that gets poured into the ice cream maker, deliciousness follows!  Now our machine is a Cuisinart, so be sure to check the proper amounts for yours!  Also, make sure that your insert is completely frozen and that your juices are really cold before pouring them in.  The mixture should be ready after being spun for about 25 minutes. If you want to add fresh fruit, wait until the last 5 minutes of mixing and again make sure that the fruit is cold when going in.

Here are a few favorites:

Pomegranate-Mint Sorbet

Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup fresh mint leaves

Combine sugar, water and mint in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved.  Allow to cool completely before using.  

2 cups pomegranate juice (I've also used cranberry or a pom/cran combo)

1 cup orange juice

cooled simple syrup with mint leaves removed

Combine all ingredients and process in your ice cream maker ~25 minutes - enjoy!

Watermelon-Lime Sorbet

4 cups seedless watermelon pieces
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup rum (optional)

Combine watermelon and lime juice in a blender until smooth.  Pour through a small strainer to remove any white seeds or chunks.  Whisk honey and rum into juice mixture.  Pour into ice cream maker and process for ~25 minutes. 

(These recipes were modified from Giada DeLaurentiis)