Experiment: Coconut Cream Sorbets

When the weather turns hot, I start thinking of icy cold desserts, and this summer is no exception. I have ice cream on the brain these days, which got me to thinking about how to make a sorbet reminiscent of tropical “umbrella” drinks…something fruity, icy cold (and nonalcoholic for my summer pregnancy).

I found a recipe on Allrecipes that uses cream of coconut and lime juice and I thought that it would adapt to other tropical juices as well. So I tried two batches, one Persian lime and one pineapple, and I made the sorbet mixes in a blender bottle for easy cleanup. We tasted the sorbets right after they were finished and again after they had sat in the freezer for 24 hours, and we decided that the sitting period was important. The coconut creme was very strong and initially overpowered the fruit flavors, but after the sitting period the flavors were much better balanced.

The original recipe did not call for lime zest, but I love lime and thought that adding some zest would really kick up the citrus flavor, which it did. Next time I make the lime sorbet, I’m going to use key limes for an even more intense lime flavor. The pineapple sorbet was much sweeter than the lime. It was almost too sweet for me…almost. In any case, we’re going to continue experimenting with this one and trying other juices. If you come up with a combination that you really like, let me know!

Equipment

blender bottle or bowl and whisk
ice cream maker
plastic freezer container

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can cream of coconut
1/2 cup lime juice (about 2 whole Persian limes)
zest of the limes
3/4 cup cold water

Preparation

1. Combine cream of coconut, lime juice, zest, and water in blender bottle. Add the blender ball and tighten the lid. Shake for about 20 to 30 seconds to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Put into the refrigerator to cool until ready to use.

2. Follow the manufacturers instructions for your ice cream maker. Transfer finished sorbet into plastic freezer container and freeze for about 24 hours before serving.

Variations

Try different juices such as orange or other citrus fruits.

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Source: adapted from Allrecipes.com