Easy orchard fresh sorbet (without the ice cream maker)

Posted on July 28, 2016 at 6:00 am

By Stefani Miller

Few things are more delicious than the sweet tang of fresh berries on a hot summer day, preferably blended into something cold and refreshing. So I’m sharing the icy deliciousness of homemade fruit sorbet with you.

Sorbet is the perfect summer treat. It’s easy to make. All you’ll need is fresh fruit, cream, water and sugar, and a blender.

Best of all, Spokane is prime sorbet-making country. Every summer local farms and growers produce tremendous amounts of raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, and other delicious fruits. Locally produced cream is also available and can be delivered right to your front door. By going to the source, your ingredients will be guaranteed fresh and delicious.

Here is a simple, no-frills recipe for Raspberry Sorbet. I’ve also put together a list of local sources for all the ingredients. Whether you pick the fruit yourself or snag it at your nearest farmer’s market, you’ll be making summer sorbet to remember.

Raspberry sorbet recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen raspberries or 3 cups fresh raspberries, frozen

For the whipped cream

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp. sugar

Directions for sorbet

1. Stir together water and 1/3 cup sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Pulse raspberries in a food processor/blender until coarsely chopped. With machine running, pour in sugar-water; pulse until mixture is smooth. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Scoop sorbet into 4 glasses, and top with whipped cream.

Directions for whipped cream

1. Chill a mixing bowl and metal whisk in the freezer for approximately 15 minutes.
2. Place 1 tbsp. of sugar in the chilled mixing bowl and add heavy whipping cream.
3. Whisk until you get stiff peaks.
4. Store unused portion in an airtight container for up to 10 hours, and re-whisk before serving as needed.

Kid-friendly idea: Turn your kitchen counter into a toppings bar with additional fresh fruit, gummy candy, coconut shavings, granola, or chocolate sprinkles—the sky’s the limit!

Getting local ingredients

You can get local farm-fresh fruit from the following Spokane-area growers and farmers:

Carver Farms (picked & you-pick)
This family-owned-and-operated farm is open year-round in Newman Lake, Wash., from 7am–3pm Wednesday through Sunday.

Greenbluff Growers (picked & you-pick)
Greenbluff is a community of over 30 farms set on convenient and picturesque loops in Mead, Wash. Check their website to see what’s fresh each week. Hours vary by farm.

Local Farmers’ MarketsDon’t feel like a long drive? Let the farm come to you. Check out this list of eight local farmers markets from Spokane Cares. There just might be a market in your neighborhood or nearby.

Even more recipes and ideas

If you’re looking for more DIY ice cream and sorbet recipes, check out the following titles from our catalog:

No-Churn Ice Cream: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats by Leslie Bilderback

Like our sorbet, all the recipes in this book don’t require an ice cream machine. Bilderback shares her secrets for whipping up delicious tasting sorbet, gelato, and good old-fashioned ice cream without the fancy equipment.

Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream: Seasonal Recipes for Ice Creams, Sorbets, & Topping Made With Local Ingredients by Molly Moon Neitzel

Pacific Northwest ice cream queen Molly Moon Neitzel is well known for the decadent treats she whips up at her Seattle-area ice cream shop. Here, Neitzel and her friend Chef Christina Spittler provide home cooks a chance to create Molly Moon’s delicious treats in their own kitchen.

The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz

Pastry chef David Lebovitz shares recipes for cool treats that range from the familiar to the gourmet. You’ll also find instructions for delicious toppings and mix-ins that will transform your ice-cream from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato & Sorbetto: Bold, Fresh Flavors to Make at Home by F.W. Pearce and Danilo Zecchin

A collection of gelato and sorbet recipes from the famous Ciao Bella Gelato Company. Here authors Pearce and Zecchin, along with recipe tester Leda Scheintaub, share classic flavor combinations everyone will love as well as advice on how to create your own unique flavors.

Grab a spoon and enjoy!

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