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Hope springs eternal. At least when it comes to my garden.
I planted a small blueberry bush earlier this spring, only to watch it slowly lose leaves down to a few bare stems. Visions of blueberry glory, dashed!
We’ve moved the plant to a new location, a bit more shaded, and planted a new blueberry bush near it, so (and this where the eternal hope comes in) maybe we’ll have some lovely blueberries next year.
In the meantime, blueberries are plentiful in the market, thank goodness. Usually I buy them by the double-basketful. And then eat them.
This time though, inspired by a lovely blueberry sorbet I had in Austin, Texas, I thought I would try my hand at making some sorbet.
So good! And really easy to make. The small additions of a little lemon zest (a bitter), lemon juice (an acid), and just a pinch of salt, brighten the intense blueberry flavor of this sorbet. Perfect for a hot summer day.
Blueberry Sorbet Recipe
If you want your sorbet to last a while in the freezer, and not get too rock hard, you might want to add a tablespoon or two of corn syrup to the mix. Or you can add 2 tablespoons of kirsch or a berry or orange liqueur.
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, stems removed and discarded
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch salt
- Fresh blueberries and sprigs of mint for garnish
Method
1 Place the blueberries, sugar, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl. Stir to coat blueberries with the sugar. Mash with a potato masher.
2 Put the mashed blueberries into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth.
3 Place a sieve over a large bowl and working in batches, press the mixture through the sieve, using a rubber spatula. This will catch the tougher and larger pieces of lemon and blueberry peel.
4 Chill the mixture for at least an hour in the fridge. Then process following the directions of your ice cream maker.
Eat immediately (the sorbet will still be a little soft) or freeze at least a few hours to help firm up before eating. Eat soon after making though, as the sorbet will get progressively harder the longer it stays in the freezer.
Serve with a few fresh blueberries and a sprig of mint.
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Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
Blueberry Sorbet
Sounds good but I’m not sure why you would add sugar when you’ve already got honey in it? Also, what’s the role of salt in this recipe? Salt is a silent killer and I personally don’t think it’s needed in this desert. Anyways, it’s down to choices. I’ve made this sorbet with just blueberries, honey, lemon juice and warm water and it’s always so delish.
xxxxxyyyyy
Hi, CC,
Thank you for reading and cooking with us! Honey and sugar have very different flavors, as you know. Some people may find certain types of honey overpower the flavor of the berries.
And the salt in in there to help perk up the flavors, too! A pinch of salt can add just a tiny bit of contrast to the sweetness. Give it a try–it’s only a pinch, so no cause for alarm. There are far too many other sodium-packed recipes and processed foods out there for homemade blueberry sorbet to be a logical target.
Can you recommend a way to do this without an ice cream maker? I know it’s probably possible but I’m just not sure how.
Hi, Cynthia! Great question. We recommend this great article How to Make Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker. The same rules apply for sorbet.
Thank you, this is very appreciated! I should probably consider investing in an ice cream maker given how useful they appear to be.
If you add a small amount of vodka, 1/4 oz or so, it won’t harden. It won’t effect the flavor either.
Had it on a 27 celcius day, Bloody yummy and so great I didn’t have to run to town for a dessert. It was a nice and light after dinner finisher.
xxxxxyyyyy
Just wanted to say this is not VEGAN. Vegans will not use honey. Agave nectar is a good choice or invert syrup.