Black Currant Sorbet (Printer view)

Vibrant frozen dessert featuring tart black currants with refreshing lemon balance.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 lb 2 oz fresh or frozen black currants

→ Sweetener

02 - 7 oz granulated sugar

→ Liquids

03 - 1 cup water
04 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the black currants thoroughly and remove any stems.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Add the black currants and simmer for 5 minutes until the berries are soft and starting to burst.
04 - Remove from heat. Let cool slightly, then blend the mixture with a stick blender or in a blender until smooth.
05 - Press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and skins. Discard solids.
06 - Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
07 - Cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until thoroughly cold.
08 - Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually 20 to 30 minutes, until thick and slushy.
09 - Transfer the sorbet to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least 2 hours until firm.
10 - Before serving, let the sorbet sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly for easy scooping.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer concentrated into a spoon, without any dairy weighing it down.
  • The entire process takes less than thirty minutes of actual hands-on time, which surprised me the first time I made it.
  • You end up with something that looks and tastes restaurant-quality but requires just four ingredients and basic kitchen tools.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step—I learned this the hard way when I served unstrained sorbet to friends and it was gritty instead of silky, which completely changed the eating experience.
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, don't give up; freeze the chilled mixture in a shallow container and stir it vigorously every 30 minutes for about 3 hours, and you'll get nearly the same result through pure stubbornness and elbow grease.
03 -
  • Let the chilled mixture sit in the ice cream maker a few minutes before churning; cold mixtures churn faster and create smaller ice crystals, which means a silkier texture.
  • If your scoops come out frozen solid and cracking, the sorbet is too cold; those 2-3 minutes at room temperature really do matter for keeping it from being aggressive on the spoon.
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