the world of fruit sorbets

A sorbet is a frozen dessert made using ice combined with fruit juice, fruit purée, or other ingredients, such as wine, liqueur, or honey. Generally, sorbets do not contain dairy products. 

the word origins of sorbets

The word sorbet entered English from French, derived from Italian sorbetto, which in turn came from the Ottoman Turkish or Iranian sharbat, originally referring to a type of beverage. The word sharbat is derived from the Arabic verb shariba, which means "to drink".

Sherbet in Europe still refers to a type of flavored drink, while North American sherbet is similar to sorbet. August Escoffier describes sorbet as "very light and barely-congealed ices, served after the Entrées. They serve in freshening the stomach; preparing it to properly receive the roast. They are appetizers and help to aid digestion".[4] Sorbet is sometimes referred to as "water ice".

Though it contains no dairy, sorbet can be equally as creamy-dreamy as ice cream, and I have grown to love it just as much as its heavier counterpart. At its simplest, sorbet is a frozen and churned mixture of sweetener (usually sugar) and water. 

Of course, plain sugar and water wouldn’t make the tastiest finished product, so fruit is often used as the liquid ingredient. Because there isn’t any fat to dull the palate, the pure fruit flavor can really shine through. What’s important to note—and there’s an whole Serious Eats article that goes into the science behind this that I recommend you check out if you’re a food alchemy nerd like me—is that sugar plays a vital role in the finished texture of sorbet. 

Without fat from dairy or eggs, it’s the suspension of sugar within the fruit purée that allows the sorbet to churn into something with a creamy mouthfeel. You need 20-30% sugar in your sorbet, which will come from your fruit plus some added sugar. We’ll dive into sugar and the ways you can play with it in a bit, and how to know when you’ve added enough. 

Fruit is the star of the show in sorbet. When it comes to making sorbet with fresh fruit, pick the ripest, juiciest fruits you can find. Even over-ripe fruit that’s a bit bruised will be much more delicious than under-ripe fruit.  You can also use fruit juice—just make sure it isn’t from concentrate and is 100% juice with no added sugar. Frozen fruit is fair game, too, and a great way to incorporate high-quality fruits in their off-seasons. Most sorbet recipes will also call for a small amount of citrus juice to add tartness, and this can also help to thin out fruit purées that are too thick on their own. Below is a list of fruits I’ve tried and the best way to use them. 

Whatever fruit or combination of fruits you choose, you will need 4 cups of fruit purée or juice to make 1-2 quarts of sorbet. In general, start with about 5 cups of chopped fruit to make 4 cups of purée—you may need slightly more or less depending on the density of the particular fruit. 2 pounds of fresh fruit is a good starting point, but take into account that you won’t be using things like pits or some peels, so get more than you think you will need.

• Berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries): Blend fresh or defrosted berries in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender until as smooth as possible, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seed fragments. I find it takes closer to 6-7 cups of berries to create 4 cups of purée after straining the seeds and skins out.

• Grapes: Concord grapes will produce the most intense grape flavor, but there are many varieties of grapes out there that are worth trying. Treat them like berries, straining to remove unblended seed and skin fragments.

• Melons (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew): Blend fresh melon cubes in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender until as smooth as possible, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any leftover “bits” (you can keep these if desired, but they freeze into a slightly gummy texture).

• Citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit): You can use freshly squeezed juice, or bottled juice if it’s 100% juice and not-from-concentrate. When using solely citrus fruit for a sorbet, you will want to add water to cut the tartness. Start at a 1:1 ratio of fruit juice to water and adjust according to your preference (you will add the same amount of sweetener regardless).

• Stone Fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, mangos): These fruits have a lot of soft flesh, which gives their purées a lovely silky texture. They usually produce the creamiest sorbet. With the exception of mangos (which I peel with a regular peeler), I like to leave the skin on while blending—any large pieces will be strained out, and the tartness that the skins add is something I enjoy. If you prefer to peel them, score an X on the bottom of the fruit, drop into boiling water for 30 seconds, then dunk into an ice bath. The skin should peel off easily. Proceed to blend.

• Pineapple: Peel and core the pineapple and cut into chunks, or use frozen pineapple pieces. Purée the chunks until smooth—there will be a layer of frothy pulp on top and juice towards the bottom. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove large pieces of remaining pulp. The mixture may still separate as it chills, so be sure to stir it before churning. You can also use pineapple juice.

• Pears: Peel and core pears prior to blending. Pears produce a very thick purée that doesn’t make an optimal texture after churning and freezing. To combat this, add some fruit juice to your pear purée such as pear nectar or apple juice. You can also thin your pear purée by using simple syrup to sweeten your sorbet instead of regular granulated sugar.

• Apples: It’s easiest to use apple juice rather than fresh apples, as all the fiber in their flesh isn’t necessary or wanted in sorbet. Use high-quality apple juice that doesn’t contain sugar so that you can add your desired level of sweetness. If you want to use fresh apples, peel and core, then blend them with the acid you are using (usually lemon juice) to help them break down into a smooth purée. Pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove skins and any remaining bits. Then thin out the purée with simple syrup or some fruit juice.

This is a matter of preference rather than one of function. Cooking certain fruits can bring out new flavors, such as grilled peaches or roasted strawberries. If you like cooking your fruit, keep in mind that it will lose some moisture and you may need to start with more fruit (by volume) to compensate for this difference.

Cooking fruit alters the flavor, so for the freshest taste, use raw fruits or cold-pressed juices.

While citrus juices are the most popular, you don’t have to limit yourself to just those! Try any of the below to add tartness:

• Balsamic Vinegar: start with 1 tablespoon, use up to 4 tablespoons depending on sweetness of the vinegar

• Apple Cider Vinegar: has a sharper flavor, so start with 1 tablespoon and use no more than 3

• Rice Wine/White Wine/Red Wine Vinegar: start with 1 tablespoon and use up to 4 depending on preference

• Lemon/Lime Juice: use 2-4 tablespoons, or more if desired for increased citrus flavor

• Orange/Grapefruit Juice: slightly less acidic than lemon and lime, so use 3-4 tablespoons or more if desired (I like 1/2 cup)

When using citrus juices, freshly squeezed is always preferred to concentrate. This also gives you the opportunity to grate in the zest if desired, which gives a rounder, more full-bodied citrus flavor.

4 parts fruit purée/juice + 1 part sugar, by volume

To make sorbet at home, combine 4 cups of fruit purée or juice (about 5-6 cups slices or pieces) with 1 cup of sugar and 2-4 tablespoons of your choice of acid, plus a pinch of salt.

If using simple syrup, you may need to use up to 2 cups, but start with less and work your way up.

This is the master ratio for sorbet. In general, you can use any fruit and any acid as described below while keeping to this standard formula. Keep in mind that the parts in this case are described by volume, not weight. While I almost always prefer measuring in weight, in this case, fruits have different densities: a cup of watermelon purée will not weigh the same as a cup of mango purée.

The reason for adding the sugar in two stages is that it is easy to add more sugar if needed, but you don’t want to get stuck with a base that’s too sweet with no more fruit to add. Starting with a conservative amount of sugar allows you to tinker with the base until it’s just the right sugar concentration.

Much like my good old friend sourdough, sorbet is a food with simple ingredients that requires a bit of science and technique to achieve the best version possible. Luckily, this is very possible at home with no more than some fruit, sugar, acid, and salt. With a bit of blending and chilling, you’ll be churning up your own sorbet to enjoy all year round.

Use the most seasonal fruit possible, or frozen fruit for when you just need to have a strawberry treat in the dead of winter. Sorbet is not just for summer—try pear, plum, or apple in the fall, orange or Meyer lemon in the winter, and fresh berry in the spring.