Mixed berry sorbet is a light, refreshing treat that gives you the sweetness of summer berries all year ’round!
Mixed Berry Sorbet
I’m a big fan of sorbet and this mixed berry sorbet has everything you want in a frozen treat – it’s smooth, refreshing and very flavorful. It also has no dairy, and comes together much more quickly than ice cream. This is because you don’t need to make a custard for the base the way you do for ice cream (now, don’t get me wrong, I also love ice cream!).
The essential tool for sorbets, sherbets and ice creams is, of course, an ice cream maker. An ice cream maker had been on my wishlist for ages and I couldn’t resist getting one recently! I couldn’t wait to try it out and because of the easy preparation, sorbet was the perfect starting point. The ingredient list is short too, you might already have everything you need – sugar, water, a little salt and berries!
First Things First
The first thing you want to do when thoughts of sorbet (or ice cream) start dancing in your head is put the drum of the ice cream maker in the freezer. Do this at least a day a head of time because you want the liquid inside of the drum to be frozen solid. When you pour your sorbet liquid into the drum and turn on your machine, it will spin and start to freeze the liquid. If the drum isn’t frozen, your sorbet won’t freeze either! I actually store the drum in the freezer after I clean it, that way it’s ready to go when I need it. I can’t rely on my (bad) memory when inspiration hits!
Preparation
There are a few steps to making mixed berry sorbet, but none of them are time consuming. To make the sorbet mixture, you’ll add the sugar, water and salt to a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Once the sugar and salt are absorbed into the water, you can add your berries. I used a frozen berry mixture with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. But if it’s summer time, you can use fresh berries in any combination you like.
Now comes the fun part, take out your immersion blender (or regular blender) and blend all that berry goodness up! Finally, you’ll strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer . Pop the liquid berry mixture into the fridge for a few hours or overnight to chill. Now you’re ready to use your ice cream maker.
By the way, if you don’t have an immersion blender, they are pretty handy. I use mine for blending soups, sauces and gravies, and now sorbet! The reason I prefer it to a regular blender is just because I’m lazy, and I can blend right in the pot I’m using. It also means I don’t have to wash all the blender parts when I’m done! There are some recipes better suited to a regular blender, but a lot of the time I use my immersion stick blender instead.
Once your berry mixture is chilled, you are ready to pour it into your ice cream maker. Again, make sure the drum of the ice cream maker has been in the freezer at least overnight so it is ice cold.
You’ll churn the berry liquid for about 15 minutes (follow the instruction for your ice cream maker), until it’s frozen, but scoopable. You can eat the sorbet now if you like a softer consistency, otherwise you’ll put it in a freezer container and freeze for a few hours or overnight. I have some reusable ice cream containers that I love and they each hold a quart of sorbet or ice cream.
The Fruits of Your Labor
Now comes the best part, tasting your homemade mixed berry sorbet! It’s not only sweet and delicious, it’s also dairy and gluten free. Play around with the berry mixture until you find your perfect combination! I like to serve the sorbet in cute little tea cups or bowls. Dig in – quick, before it melts!
Mixed Berry Sorbet
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
- Category: Dessert
Description
Mixed Berry Sorbet is a light, refreshing treat that gives you the sweetness of summer berries all year ’round!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- pinch of salt
- 4 1/2 cups of mixed berries, I used a frozen mix of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
Instructions
- Add the water, sugar and salt to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then turn off the heat.
- Add the berries to the pan and stir to combine.
- Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the mixture until smooth.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, then put the beautiful berry liquid in a covered container to chill overnight in the fridge. You want it to be nice and cold before you add it to the ice cream maker.
- Add the chilled berry liquid to the frozen ice cream maker drum, then follow your ice cream maker’s directions to freeze. Mine took about 15 minutes in the ice cream maker, then I put it in the freezer for a few hours. You can eat it straight out of the ice cream maker too! It just depends how solidified you like your sorbet. Enjoy!
Keywords: berry sorbet, making sorbet, sorbet recipe
