Bon Appetit Desserts (130 page)

Sparkling Strawberry and Orange Sorbet

Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine, adds a mild effervescence to this refreshing dessert. For a pretty presentation, serve the sorbet in wide-mouth Champagne coupes.
8 servings

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 12-ounce package frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup orange juice

1 cup brut cava (Spanish sparkling wine)

Stir sugar and ¼ cup water in small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Transfer to large bowl. Puree strawberries in processor. Add to syrup. Mix in orange juice and cava. Refrigerate strawberry mixture until well chilled.

Process mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Plum-Raspberry Sorbet

Serve this light and refreshing dessert with a few crisp, buttery cookies.

Makes about 1 quart

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

⅔ cup water

1¼ pounds plums, halved, pitted

2½ ½-pint containers raspberries

¼ to 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Additional sliced plums

Additional raspberries

Fresh mint sprigs

Stir sugar and ⅔ cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil syrup 1 minute. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Puree plums and raspberries in processor. Strain puree through fine sieve into medium bowl; discard solids in sieve. Add syrup, lemon juice to taste, and salt and blend well.

Process in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Scoop sorbet into bowls. Garnish with additional sliced plums, additional raspberries, and mint sprigs.

Plum Sorbet with Black Currant Liqueur

Sweet, black currant-flavored crème de cassis intensifies the fruitiness of this plum sorbet. It also gives the sorbet a soft, creamy texture. That’s because alcohol freezes at a much colder temperature than the other ingredients, so it prevents hard ice crystals from forming.
Makes about 1 quart

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1½ pounds ripe purple plums, quartered, pitted

¼ cup crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) plus additional for drizzling (optional)

Stir sugar and 1 cup water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup is reduced to generous 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Chill syrup until cold.

Puree plums in processor until smooth. Pour mixture through medium-mesh strainer set over 4-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much pulp and liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer. Stir chilled syrup and crème de cassis into plum puree.

Process mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze until firm.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Scoop sorbet into dessert glasses or small bowls. Drizzle with additional crème de cassis, if desired.

Rhubarb Sorbet with Gingered Orange Compote

Vibrant red pomegranate juice gives this light, tangy sorbet its pretty pink color.
6 servings

1½ cups sugar

1½ cups water

8 cups ½-inch pieces trimmed fresh rhubarb (about 2 pounds)

½ cup orange juice

½ cup pomegranate juice

2½ tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

⅛ teaspoon salt

6 large navel oranges

⅔ cup orange juice

½ cup sugar

½ cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger (about 2½ ounces)

1 cinnamon stick

SORBET
: Bring sugar and 1½ cups water to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool syrup.

Stir rhubarb, orange juice, and ¾ cup syrup in large saucepan over medium heat until rhubarb falls apart and mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Puree in processor. Press through strainer into large bowl; discard solids in strainer. Mix pomegranate juice, Grand Marnier, salt, and ¾ cup syrup into puree (reserve remaining syrup for another use). Chill until cold.

Process rhubarb mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

COMPOTE
: Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments.

Mix orange juice, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 3 minutes to blend flavors. Cover; cool 5 minutes. Strain syrup into medium bowl. Drain orange segments; add to syrup and cool completely.

Spoon compote into shallow bowls or wineglasses. Top with sorbet.

Watermelon-Lime Sorbet

Don’t have an ice-cream maker? This sorbet can also be made in a food processor. You simply freeze the watermelon mixture, stirring occasionally, then throw it into the processor to create the lovely smooth texture.
6 servings

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup sugar

¼ cup fresh lime juice

5 cups 1-inch cubes peeled seedless watermelon

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Lime slices

Watermelon wedges

Combine wine, sugar, and lime juice in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer gently 3 minutes. Cool completely. Puree watermelon in processor. Strain puree through sieve set over large bowl, pressing on solids with back of rubber spatula. Discard solids in sieve. Stir wine mixture and orange juice concentrate into watermelon puree.

To prepare in processor: Pour melon mixture into 8×8×2-inch glass baking dish. Freeze until semi-firm, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Cover; freeze until solid, at least 8 hours or overnight. Chill processor work bowl and metal blade. Transfer melon mixture to processor. Using on/off turns and scraping bottom and sides of bowl, process until very smooth.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze.

To prepare in ice-cream maker: Process melon mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.

Freeze 6 small bowls 30 minutes. Scoop sorbet into frozen bowls. Garnish with lime slices and watermelon wedges. Serve immediately.

Cantaloupe Sorbet with Melon Confetti Compote