Homemade Rose & Raspberry Sorbet

I had been thinking for a while that making fruit sorbets would be a great use of fruit from my garden so when I found a Sunbeam Ice Cream Maker on super special it seemed like a sensible move to buy it and try it out.  The recipe book is full of different recipes to try out: basic vanilla icecream and lots of variations, gelatos and sorbets.  I also found 25 deliciously different recipes to try on Martha Stewart’s website.

A traditional creamy Ice Cream is made from a custard base using eggs, milk, cream and sugar.  Low fat and no added sugar recipes can also be made.

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. There are 2 different sorts. A custard based gelato uses a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs than ice cream, giving it a creamy texture but it is lighter than icecream.  A sugar syrup gelato has a light refreshing taste with a hint of creaminess.

Sorbet is dairy and fat free and has a softer consistency.  It has a sugar syrup base and is usually made with fruit.

I had lots of raspberries in the freezer so decided on a Raspberry Sorbet.  Martha Stewart has a great variation made with Rose Syrup. This sounded fun and I had some organic rose petals in my stash of bath product making ingredients.

The instructions for the ice cream maker were clear and easy to follow; and the whole process was very easy.  I want to make all sorts of different recipes now.

 

Rose Raspberry Sorbet

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups packed unsprayed rose petals

4 1/2 cups raspberries (I used frozen)

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and add rose petals.  Let steep 20 minutes.  Pour through a fine sieve set over a bowl; discard solids.  Refrigerate syrup until cold, about 15 minutes.

Puree raspberries and rose syrup in a blender until smooth.  Pour through a fine sieve set over a bowl; discard solids.  Cover mixture and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hours and up to 2 hours.

Freeze and  churn raspberry mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to a 1 litre container.  Covering the top with greaseproof paper before putting on the lid (or plastic wrap) can stop ice crystals forming.