Mango Sorbet

I know, I know, my last post was about sorbet, but that was chocolate sorbet, I feel like mango sorbet is REAL sorbet...it's fruit! It's like healthy ice cream!

OK, so I am a little obsessed with ice cream, sorbet, and my ice cream maker attachment to my KitchenAid...although this you can make without an ice cream maker. (More on that later.)

Sooo, Mango Sorbet! Technically this is Mango Peach Lime Coconut Sorbet....but really everything but the mango just enhances the flavor of the mango, I am so impressed with how the other flavors bring out the mango flavor. Just the mango itself, surprisingly would not result in the full mango flavor that this sorbet has.

Dave, my bff, as mentioned in my Chocolate sorbet post, had a recipe that I based this recipe on. His recipe included mango, dark rum, and lime juice; I mixed it up a bit. Find his original recipe in his book, "The Perfect Scoop".

Mango Sorbet i.e. Mango Peach Coconut Lime Sorbet

2 ripe mangoes (Spelling tip, Mangoes or Mangos is correct)

1 peach

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp Coconut Rum

1. Peel and dice 2 mangoes (This duplicate correct spelling is bugging me)

I have tried the seemingly popular way to dice a mango, and it just never works for me, so I went for what felt right to me. I peeled the mango with a vegetable peeler, and sliced as much mango as I could off of the wide flat seed. Be very careful when working with ripe, slipper mangoes! I definitely want one of those mango slicers!

2. Peel and dice one ripe peach and add to the diced mangoes.

3. Add water, coconut rum, and the juice of 1 lime to the diced fruit. (The rum helps keep the sorbet slightly soft enough to be scoopable after freezing and leaves ZERO alcohol taste)

4. Stir mixture to incorporate, and then either pour into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend smooth as possible.

5. Chill mixture ( I chilled it for about an hour which seemed just fine)

6. Whir it up in your ice cream maker! 

Or, if you simply freeze this mixture and stir once or twice while freezing, you'll get a nice frozen treat without the need for an ice cream maker.

You won't be disappointed by this mango sorbet recipe! 

As a shout out to my wonderful college friends and a long ago trip to Miami, 

"Wet Willy's is Booooring, Mangoes is fuuuuunnn!"

Chocolate Sorbet

Chocolate Sorbet is so lovely. It's rich and satisfying, yet doesn't have the weight of some chocolate ice creams. I say, perfect for summer! Here in Boston, it's going to be in the 90s starting tomorrow!

I had the Chocolate Fudgsicle sorbet at JP Licks last weekend, which is exactly what started this quest.  Their official description: Chocolate Fudgsicle Sorbet - Chocolate heavin! Tastes just like an old fashioned fudgsicle.  They were oh so right. It was just so good, especially when accompanied by their new Banana Oreo...seriously, c'mon, ridiculously happy ice cream moment!

I found this recipe in David Lebovitz "The Perfect Scoop", modified it slightly, and have been eating it for a week!

I did not follow the recipe precisely, I did not have Dutch process cocoa powder, so I used the Hershey's cocoa powder I had in the cabinet.  I also used the brick chocolate that I had, but this still came out absolutely amazing. I do want to try this again with Dutch process cocoa powder as it does have a somewhat smoother quality when used in ice cream and has a milder flavor.  

This had a very strong flavor and was so very rich, that I found having a bowl full of wonderful fresh summer berries with it really helps to cut the strength the chocolate. As the ice cream melts, you then have chocolate covered strawberries and raspberries. Really, it was wonderful!  If you use an even higher quality chocolate, it would of course make it even better. Dave suggests that a higher quality chocolate will yield better results, but the chocolate that I had in my cabinet worked just fine for me! (And yes, Dave and I are on a first name basis...we're BFFs)

Chocolate Sorbet

Adapted from "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups Water (Divided into 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup water)

1 c sugar

3/4 c unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together 1 1/2 cups of water, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a large saucepan. Stirring almost constantly, bring this mixture to a boil. Once boiling, whisk the mixture while on the heat for approximately a minute.

Take the mixture off of the heat, and add in the chocolate. Mix well, the residual heat will melt the chocolate almost immediately. Add the remaining 3/4 cup water and vanilla.

(Dave suggests putting your mixture into a blender at this point for 15 seconds. I used an immersion blender, but didn't find it really did much to the mixture, but did result in some splattered chocolate.)

Chill well and then throw it in your ice cream maker! (Gently...gently!)

Ahhhh chocolate sorbet.

Mix In Ideas

No pudge brownies, cut into bits ( We may have done this one night, it may have been divine)

Fresh berries

Mini Peanut Butter cups

Mini Raspberry filled cups

Zucchini Bread

I searched for a zucchini bread recipe for years that would satisfy a childhood memory. I found it.

Growing up near the ocean, and near fields, my childhood was spent exploring nature, blowing bubbles, hiking in nearby nature sanctuaries. I now realize how lucky I was. I spent many days walking across the field from my house to my best friend's house. One of those days we went for a walk with her Mom, and her Mom brought Zucchini Bread  spread with cream cheese for our snack.

I have THAT particular zucchini bread in my brain as the best ever. I've made quite a few recipes trying to replicate it, but was always left with something less than the dream.

Five years ago, I ripped out a page in Cook's Country Magazine that claimed to be the recipe that "Rescued Zucchini Bread"...they were right.

I've been holding on to this recipe for 5 years, shuffling it back and forth, forgetting I have it until I'm looking for some other recipe, then saying, "oh I have to remember to try that" only to forget it again. Well, I found a big bunch of zucchini on sale, and I finally remembered.  It's a fantastic recipe. It came out SO well, and I am thrilled to share it with you.

The fun 'trick' of the recipe is to wring out the zucchini, once shredded, in a towel!

Holy fun. Green zucchini juice!

My husband actually took a sip and suggested it wouldn't be bad with ice cubes...oh really?? So of course I take a sip, and it was the most disgusting thing I've drank in awhile! Do not be tempted by the green watery goodness!

This recipe also doesn't call for the usual crushed pineapple found in many recipes, which was a little unnerving, but I didn't miss it at all. The yogurt really lends the exact amount of moistness that is needed.

I also tried out my new Vietnamese cinnamon from  Penzey's Spices. It is the best cinnamon I've ever had. The cinnamon didn't overpower the bread, it lent a fully developed, rounded flavor that really brought the entirety of the bread to a whole other level. Regular cinnamon of course can be used, but it was the first time I've really noticed what a difference a phenomenal spice can make in a baked good.

Zucchini Bread

Adapted from Cook's Country Magazine August/September 2005

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees and move rack to middle position


Star Ingredient
1 pound zucchini (approximately 4 small zucchini or 3 medium or 2 large...you get the idea)


Dry ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar


Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 Tbs lemon juice
6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted AND cooled.

Prepare zucchini: Using a box grater, shred zucchini and place on a clean tea towel or dish towel. Make sure it isn't one of your good towels! Using the towel as a sieve, squeeze as much water as possible out of the shredded zucchini. Set aside.

Prepare Pan: Liberally spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray (this recipe makes a perfect loaf in this size pan)

Mix Flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and butter until just combined.

Gently fold yogurt mixture and zucchini into flour mixture until combined.

Pour batter into pan.

Bake 45-55 minutes until top is nice, golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 1 hour.

Once cool, bread can be kept in plastic wrap for 3 or more days.

 

Have you ever tried to replicate a recipe from your childhood? Did it meet your expectations?