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

Mint Oreo Cookie Ice Cream

Should I admit how many times I've made this particular ice cream in the last two weeks? No, I'll keep that to myself, but I will say it's more than 2 but less than 4.

If you have an ice cream maker, this is one of the best things you can make in it. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you should go get one, soon. :)

I have a KitchenAid ice cream attachment, and I love it. We have a small kitchen, so instead of having to store an additional appliance, I can keep the bowl in the freezer and it's ready at a moment's notice! It's dangerous, in a very good way.

I modified a basic ice cream recipe I found online about two years ago, and it. is. fabulous.

Mint Oreo Cookie Ice Cream

2 cups Heavy Cream

2 cups 1% milk (You can use 2% or whole milk for even creamier ice cream)

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

4-6 drops of green food coloring (optional)

1 cup of crushed Oreos (about 6-8 cookies)

Here's the hard part: Mix everything but the cookies in a large bowl with a whisk. Pour mixture into your ice cream machine and run per it's directions.  See, hard right?

Mine usually spins for about 20 minutes, but I keep an eye on it. Once it's doubled in volume and looks like soft serve, I dump in the cookies! It's the most exciting part!! 

Then, scoop it all  out into a tupperware container.  I've used multiple different types, it really doesn't matter which you use, whatever you have on hand. For fun, drop some additional crushed cookies onto the top and freeze until set. To set fully, it usually is best to freeze overnight. However, if you're anything like this ice cream lovin' household, after an hour or so, it'll be fairly set around the edges, and you can definitely make a bowl of it :)

I used to make this without the green food coloring, but lately, I just love the green color. Reminds me of my favorite drink from the 1970's, the Grasshopper. Seriously, my favorite. No, I wasn't really arround in the 70s...only as a baby in the LATE 70s. But still, I love that drink, and this ice cream is the perfect non-alcoholic version.

You may have noticed it's eggless...yes, it's true. No eggs. I'm too impatient for my ice cream at this point with the whole eggs in ice cream thing (i.e. custard). So maybe someday, but I have to be in the mood. Convince me otherwise?

So enjoy this wonderful eggless ice cream! I have many variations, which I will blog about later, but think of this as the base recipe.

OMYum.