Strawberries & Cream Sherbet

I love ice cream and sherbet but I've struggled with making a good homemade version that is complex, rich and creamy. I recently read about a few tricks that helped me make the type of ice cream and sherbet that you normally had to go out for to enjoy. I combined a family recipe for strawberries and sour cream with a shot of balsamic vinegar for complexity to yield an out of this world dessert that brings out the flavor of the strawberry.

Makes 1 Quart of Sherbet

Ingredients

1 lb Fresh Strawberries

1 TBS Water

1 TBS Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar

Pinch Table Salt

½ tsp Instant Pectin for No-Cook Freezer Jam*

1 ½ C Sour Cream*

1 C Granulated Sugar

Prepare your ice cream maker. If you have an Ice cream maker which requires you to freeze the bowl, place it in the freezer for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours prior to making your sherbet. If you have a refrigerated ice cream maker turn it on 10 minutes before adding the sherbet base.

In a small pot, heat the tablespoon of water and the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar just until it starts to simmer. Add the pectin and salt and stir continuously until the pectin dissolves. The pectin will help prevent the formation of large ice crystals, helping you make a creamy sherbet. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. Hull and wash the strawberries.

Place the strawberries in a food processor with the cooled vinegar mix and 1 ½ cup of granulated sugar. Process until smooth. Add 1 cup of sour cream and pulse 5 times, just until the sour cream is incorporated. Taste for sugar. Depending on how sweet the strawberries are you will have to add additional sugar to suite your taste. Place the bowl of sherbet base into the freezer for 15 minutes to thoroughly chill.

Place 1 cup of the sherbet base into the bowl of the ice cream maker and run for 10 minutes or until the sherbet thickens. Place the remainder of the sherbet base back into the refrigerator. The faster sherbet freezes the smoother and creamier it will be. By freezing only 1 cup of the sherbet base you are forming ice crystals that will catalyze the freezing of the remainder of the sherbet base.

Once the first cup of sherbet base had thickened pour in the remainder of the base and process in the ice cream maker for 20 minutes. Do not process any longer or it will start to form larger ice crystals. Place in a closed container for 12 to 24 hours in the freezer before serving.

* Pronto Substitutes

Pectin – Do NOT substitute regular pectin, it will not work in this recipe.

Sour Cream – Do NOT substitute low fat or no fat sour cream. You can substitute Greek Yogurt.

To print this recipe, go to Strawberry & Cream Sherbet