Strawberry Sorbet

Ripe, sweet strawberries become even more lush when transformed into sorbet.  And when it comes to this transformation, the process requires no special equipment – just a blender.  If you read about my nectarine sorbet or Mexican ice cream, you know that I favor no-churn desserts.  A simple process creates decadent flavor, and as the weather gets warmer I seem to crave both.

Made from just a few ingredients, this dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen custard can also be layered with them parfait-style.  Let it settle between rich vanilla scoops or use it to top a cocktail (or mocktail), and it will impart strong berry flavor as it melts.  Bonus points if you let the sun do the melting.

Let the rays claim our shoulders, the berries overflow our desserts, and memories of the sweetest – albeit tiniest – strawberries I grew at the age of six keep reminding me that simple pleasures will always be best.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt

For the tastiest sorbet, start with ripe fruit.  Though we will be adding sugar during the process, the flavor of the strawberries carries the batch.  A touch of lemon and a tinier touch of salt punch up the strawberry even more.

Begin by combining the water and syrup in a medium saucepan.  Heat until the sugar dissolves and cook for an additional minute.  Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.

In the meantime, prepare the strawberries by hulling and roughly chopping them.  Add to a blender or food processor with lemon juice and process until smooth.  

Add the cooled syrup and salt to the strawberry puree and pulse to combine.  At this stage, sorbet should be just slightly sweeter than you wanted the finished dessert, since freezing will dull the sweetness somewhat.

Pour the mixture into a nonreactive freezer-safe loaf pan and freeze for about 4 to 6 hours, whisking every 30 minutes or so.  For a creamier texture, return the mixture to the blender and give it a whirl after 4 hours or once it starts to get icy.  Smooth it back into the loaf pan and continue to freeze until it reaches your desired consistency for serving.

Sorbet consistency is best on the day it’s made. Over time in the freezer, the sorbet will become quite solid. Allow it to soften in the refrigerator, and it will be ready to serve.