Great friends sometimes come with wonderful sweet treats like the tools to make chocolate sorbet. This summer, two pals gave me amazing gifts. One surprised me with a Cuisinart ice cream maker that she had raved about on many occasions; the other sent me his favorite chocolate sorbet recipe.
My daughter and I have been in chocolate sorbet heaven (okay, ice cream too)! From start to finish we enjoy every moment of making and re-making this wonderful vegan and lactose-free dessert. In life, it’s often these kinds of thoughtful shared interests and experiences between friends and family that deliver the strongest contentment.
What You Need
~Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (or another high quality brand)
~ Recipe from my friend, originally found on Epicurious.com
- Yield: Makes 1 quart (1 liter)
- Editor’s note: The recipe and introductory text below are from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments. To read Epicurious’s review of the cookbook, go to Summer Cooking Guides.
- This is the perfect chocolate sorbet — very rich and full of bittersweet chocolate flavor. Use a top-quality cocoa powder; it will make a huge difference. And be sure to use a large saucepan, since the mixture will bubble up as it boils
- 2 1/4 cups (555 ml) water
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 6 ounces (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make
In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk, for 45 seconds.
Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it’s melted, then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) water. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the mixture has become too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.
*Note: I was slightly confused by the above instructions at first because it doesn’t indicate when to churn the sorbet. You chill the mixture after taking it off the stove for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator and then churn. After churning, eat your first serving. It’s always best when totally fresh! Freeze for later indulgences.
Having had great success with Cuisinart’s booklet for ice cream, I tried their chocolate sorbet recipe too. It’s a few steps easier than the above and also delicious.
What You Need
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
How To Make
Combine the water and sugar in a Cuisinart® 3 3/4 quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the cocoa and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Stir the chilled mixture. Assemble a Cuisinart® Automatic Frozen Yogurt – Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker (be sure the chiller bowl is totally frozen). Turn on the machine; pour the liquid mixture into the freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 25 – 30 minutes. Turn the machine OFF. The sorbet will have a soft, creamy texture. If desired, transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and place in the freezer for about 2 hours (or longer) until firm. If made ahead, take ice cream out of freezer 10- 15 minutes before serving.
Photo: Chocolate Sorbet from food52.com
