We love those designer pints of gelato and sorbet as much as anyone, but have you seen how much they cost? And some gelato stands charge $8 for a quarter-cup scoop. Outrageous! Here are three delicious, easy sorbet recipes using four favorite fruit flavors…
Strawberry or Raspberry Sorbet
Blend one cup of frozen strawberries (or raspberries) with one tablespoon of maple syrup until it’s the consistency of a creamy sorbet. (Add a pinch of cardamom, which adds a nice spice note and promotes digestion, or crushed mint leaves.) Serve immediately. Makes two one-half cup servings.
FYI—Strawberries pack healing nutrition: These vitamin C–rich gems may help fight cancer. In one recent study, they slowed the growth of precancerous esophageal lesions. The fiber in strawberries is also believed to slash colorectal cancer risk. If you don’t like strawberries: Try raspberries—they’re also great for your health, and the sorbet is scrumptious.
Thanks to Emily von Euw, a raw food recipe creator and author of Rawsome Vegan Baking (Page Street) for the above recipe. ThisRawsomeVeganLife.com
Banana Sorbet
Peel two medium-size bananas (the riper, the sweeter), and cut them into thick, coin-shaped slices to equal about one cup. Place them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper, foil or parchment, and put in the freezer. Leave for at least an hour, and then whirl the cut-up frozen pieces in your blender or food processer. We think the creamy banana flavor is sweet enough without added sugar, but feel free to add a little maple syrup to your processor just before whirling. Or blend in by hand some semisweet chocolate chips just before serving. Yum! Makes two one-half cup servings.
Mango Sorbet
The best mango sorbets are made with an ice cream maker, but here’s an easy version that’s refreshing and naturally tasty. You’ll need two mangoes, some room-temperature water and a little honey for this recipe. Make sure your mangoes are ripe and smell sweet with a bright orange flesh (not a dry, pale yellow). Slice off the two fat sides (called the “cheeks” ) located along the flat surfaces of the mango’s large pit, and scoop out the insides from the skins with a spoon. Cut the mango flesh into very small pieces (about one-half inch each) to equal a heaping cup (one to two mangoes, depending on their size). Place the pieces on a baking sheet covered with wax paper or foil, and place in the freezer until the pieces are frozen solid (at least two hours). Whirl the frozen pieces in a food processor with one-quarter cup of water and two teaspoons of honey (we like to use the mini-processor attachment that came with our immersion blender because it’s easy to clean out and the blades are sharp). Serve immediately. Makes two one-half cup servings.
More great dessert ideas…
