Strawberry-Basil Sorbet
| July 28, 2011 | Posted by Laura under Desserts, Recipes, Seasonal stuff, Vegetarian |
Strawberries are just ridiculous right now. I swear, every time I go into the grocery store, they are selling larger containers of them for cheaper. I’m kind of afraid to go in there now for fear they’ll just start 
chucking bushels of them at me. Not that I’m complaining; as strawberries become more plentiful, they’re also getting more delicious. They’re sweet, plump, and red as rubies. Ah, the joys of summer.
Since just sitting in the middle of the floor devouring strawberries non-stop loses its charm after a couple of days, I began seeking out other ideas for creative consumption. This post by The Pioneer Woman got me thinking about incorporating fresh herbs, which are also getting ridiculously plentiful and delicious this time of year. My herb ambitions were not quite as lofty this year
as last. I just have one faithful potted basil, but he’s a trooper, and was more than willing to make a contribution to my strawberry adventure. I combined the Pioneer Woman’s syrup instructions with these for sorbet from JoyofBaking.com, and the result was fresh, not-too-sweet, and nothing short of splendid.
Strawberry-Basil Sorbet
inspired by The Pioneer Woman and JoyofBaking.com
- 2/3 cup simple syrup (recipe here)
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries
- juice of half a lemon
- 9 large fresh basil leaves (plus some for garnish)
Take your simple syrup and basil for a spin in the blender, and then place in the refrigerator to chill. Stem and halve your strawberries, and then give the their own ride in the blender. Add the lemon juice to the strawberries, and chill in the refrigerator as well.
Once both the syrup and the strawberries are thoroughly chilled, combine them, and put them in the freezer. Use a stainless steel container if possible, as JoyofBaking.com says that will make the sorbet freeze faster.
Four hours later (or the next morning if, like me, you got too tired to wait up for your sorbet), run some warm water over the bottom of your container to release your frozen strawberry puree, break into chunks, and use a blender or food processor to make a smooth texture. Place back into freezer for another 3-4 hours.
Then, just get a spoon, cross your fingers, and hope summer lasts forever!
There’s a place in San Diego called Viva Pops that sells a delicious strawberry-basil popsicle, which is another spin on this, and great for when you don’t feel like using a spoon.
Ok, this is awesome! I’ve been looking for a way to make frozen desserts without splurging on a totally unnecessary and space-consuming ice cream maker. Does the blending really work? You win so hard.
Ooh! Also good — blend four cups of watermelon with a half cup of sugar and a teaspoon of fresh lime juice. Put in a pan in the freezer and set the timer for an hour. Mash it up with a fork. Set the timer for two hours. Mash it up more and VOILA! Watermelon granita of the gods.
Kristin and I made this last night and it was easy and SO delicious.