Raspberry Sorbet
This sorbet has an amazing velvety-smooth texture, and is bursting with raspberry flavor.
Sugar acts to lower the freezing point of the water, which is why the sorbet is scoopable and not rock hard. You need enough sugar to react perfectly with the water. But that perfect balance can lead to using a lot of sugar to achieve that creamy texture, which is why corn syrup is added – it adds the needed molecular balance, but is far less sweet than sugar.
However a negative effect of the sugar lowering the freezing point of the mixture, is that it causes the sorbet to melt faster once you remove it from the freezer. So to help maintain its frozen state, pectin is added as a stabilizer to absorb excess moisture. This will give you more time to enjoy eating it without it turning into a watery puddle :).
Once the mixture is combined as directed below, pour it into a chinois or a sieve. Use a spoon or spatula to press out all the liquid, leaving only the seeds behind.
To create a smooth frozen texture (instead of one with large icy crystals), we start by freezing a small portion of the mixture. This allows ice crystals to form very quickly, and therefor into tiny crystals – which lends to the smoother texture of the final product. When this frozen base is added back to the rest of the chilled mixture and liquefied once again, there are enough tiny crystals left floating around to act as ‘seeds’ to start the crystallization process for the entire mixture.
Among other things, churning adds air into the mixture. With ice cream (rich in fat and protein) a longer churning time is desired to create that light and airy texture since air bubbles get trapped in the fat and protein molecules. But since sorbet does not have fat or protein, those air bubbles cannot get trapped and overchurning leads to larger crystal formation – resulting in a dry and crumble texture.
Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn until it thickens and the color begins to lighten (about 15-25 minutes). Pour the sorbet into a container (pressing plastic wrap directly onto its surface), and freeze for at least 3 hours.
Raspberry Sorbet
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp low or no-sugar-needed fruit pectin
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 lbs raspberries fresh or frozen, about 4 cups
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat water, pectin and salt until pectin is completely dissolved. Stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a food processor combine berries, sugar, syrup and cooled water mixture, and blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Remove 1 cup of mixture and place in small bowl, pouring remaining mixture into a larger bowl. Cover both with plastic wrap, pressing plastic directly onto surface of mixtures. Place small bowl in freezer, and freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Place large bowl in fridge.
- Run the bottom of the small bowl under water to release the frozen mixture and place it in with the chilled mixture. Stir occasionally until frozen base has dissolved (use a fork to help break it up as well to speed this step).
- Pour into ice cream maker and churn for 15-25 minutes, until mixture thickens and color lightens.
- Pour into a container, cover surface directly with plastic wrap, seal container and freeze for at least 2 hours.
