Now that Fall is upon us, I need to get these sorbets out before it’s too late. Although of course, I have always my wonderful friends from Brazil and Down Under to consider, the lucky ones who are starting their beautiful march towards SUMMER!  The first sorbet is for those who appreciate the bite of citric fruits, and prefer desserts that are not overly sweet.  The second is a lot more mellow, but it has a secret ingredient to shake things up. Don’t knock it until you try it. Trust me!

TRIPLE CITRUS SORBET
(inspired by Cook’s Illustrated)

1 cup granulated sugar (1 + 1/4 cup if you prefer)
1 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 + 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh citrus juice
(1 lime, 2 lemons, fresh orange juice to 1/2 cup)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon Cointreau (or vodka) 

to print the recipe, click here

This was absolutely delicious! If you have a particularly heavy meal, maybe a bit high on fat content (think ribs, maybe?) this sorbet is going to be perfect. The original recipe called for 1 + 1/4 cups of sugar, but I added less and felt it was enough for our taste, as we tend to dislike excessive sugar in desserts. Try the base before churning, and adjust. Make sure to process any additional sugar until it is fully dissolved. I always add some alcohol to our sorbets because it improves texture in the freezer. It is not mandatory for flavor, you can omit it.

CANTALOUPE-CAYENNE SORBET
(adapted from Food Videos)

1 + 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded cantaloupe  (about 4 + 1/2 cups, packed)
1/2 cup white sugar (100 g)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vodka
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon if you dare!)

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.  Place in the fridge to cool completely for at least 4 hours.

Give a stir with a spoon, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process it according to the instructions of your machine.

Freeze and enjoy!

to print the recipe click here

Comments: I made the sorbet with only 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and thought it was perfect. However, the moment I mentioned to Phil there was a secret ingredient in it and divulged its identity, he suggested  we (we, got it?) should make another batch without it. He likes the pure flavor of the fruit to shine through. So that was that. A second batch was prepared (and I must admit we did it together) the following weekend without the cayenne and the vinegar for a side-by-side single-blind experiment. He liked the version without cayenne better. Me? I loved the peppery one. It gives just a nice background heat, that I thought complemented the fruit quite well. If you like the combination of sweet and savory, grab your bottle of cayenne and churn away…

ONE YEAR AGO: Sobering Peach Sorbet

TWO YEARS AGO: Spiralizer Fun

THREE YEARS AGO: Beer-Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak

FOUR YEARS AGO:  Secret Recipe Club: Corn Chowda

FIVE YEARS AGO: Page-A-Day Calendar (Pits and Chief 5 minutes of fame…)

SIX YEARS AGO: Home Sweet Home (our beloved Pits in one of his last photos)

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Marbled Rye