Strawberry Sorbet Two Ways

Sorbet includes just a few simple ingredients, and is incredibly simple to make. Intensely strawberry-flavored, it's also a brilliant red. It's a striking dessert, whether served alone or paired with simple butter cookies.

The first recipe makes an icy/granular sorbet; the second, a smoother sorbet, due to it being "churned" in an ice cream maker. (By the way, our thanks to the folks at Cuisinart for this recipe, which comes with their ice cream maker.) Feel free to use the citrus juice you prefer, whichever sorbet you make; lemon, lime, and orange are all good choices. We haven't tried grapefruit, but assume that would be fine, too.

Once you have the method nailed, it's fun to experiment with other fruits. Peaches spring immediately to mind; bananas and oranges should work, too. Don't be afraid to try combinations, too; what's the worst that can happen? You'll have a tasty "slushy" to drink.

Simple Freezer Sorbet

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups strawberries; frozen are fine
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Churned Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 quart fresh strawberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice or lemon juice

Directions

First, decide which sorbet you'd like to make. The Simple Freezer Sorbet requires only a food processor and freezer; the Churned Sorbet requires an ice cream maker.

To make Simple Freezer Sorbet
1) Combine the water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, without stirring. Remove the syrup from the heat, pour it into a bowl, and set in the refrigerator to cool.

2) If you're using frozen strawberries, thaw them enough that they're not rock-hard; a few icy spots are OK.

3) If you're using fresh strawberries, wash and trim off the hulls.

4) Place the strawberries in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until fairly smooth, but not pur�ed.

5) Add the syrup and lemon juice, and pulse briefly, just to combine. The syrup doesn't have to be cold, but it shouldn't be boiling hot, either. Lukewarm or cooler is fine.

6) Place the mixture in a shallow pan; an 8" x 8" or 9" round cake pan are both good choices. Place the pan in the freezer. There's no need to cover it.

7) After 2 hours, use a fork or spoon to stir it around, bringing the frozen edges into the center. Return to the freezer.

8) Continue to stir every hour or so, until the sorbet is nearly as firm as you like. This may be as little as 4 hours total, start to finish; or it may take longer, depending on the temperature of your freezer. Once the sorbet is entirely icy (like a slush drink), you can pur�e it in a food processor or using a hand blender, if you like. Place in a bowl, cover, and return to the freezer.

9) Sorbet should be ready to serve about 4 to 6 hours after you first put it into the freezer. Waiting a couple of hours beyond that will solidify it beyond scoopable. To serve beyond that window, allow sorbet to soften slightly at room temperature; this will only take about 10 minutes. Scoop into dishes and serve.

Yield: about 1 quart.

To make Churned Sorbet
1) Combine the water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, without stirring. Remove the syrup from the heat, pour it into a bowl, and set in the refrigerator to cool.

2) Place the strawberries and citrus juice in a food processor, and pur�e till completely smooth.

3) Press the pur�e through a fine-mesh strainer, to remove the seeds.

4) Combine the seedless pur�e with the corn syrup and sugar syrup. Chill for 1 hour, or until refrigerator-cold.

5) Make the sorbet according to the manufacturer's directions for your ice cream maker. The finished sorbet will be fairly soft; "ripen" it for a couple of hours in the freezer to firm it up, if desired.