Raspberry Sherbet

Who says that you can’t use your ice cream maker in the winter? Not me! Ice cream is a treat any time of year and this raspberry sherbet would be a pretty Valentine’s dessert. I used fresh raspberries but I bet frozen berries would be an excellent substitute. Frozen berries would give you the flexibility of trying different flavors—cherry, strawberry or even blueberry. I started with Cooking Light’s recipe for cranberry sherbet and adapted it to make raspberry (which you’ll see wasn’t a huge leap at all!).

The actual time to make the sherbet is minimal, but it helps to cool the mixture for at least 4 hours or even overnight before using your ice cream maker so plan ahead when you are ready to make this dessert.  I used a medium saucepan to slightly soften the berries and to dissolve the sugar, along with the corn syrup and a pinch of salt and lime juice too. Then I pureed the mixture and cooled it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I incorporated the heavy whipping cream right before pouring the mixture into the ice cream maker and all I had to do was wait for about fifteen minutes before the sherbet was ready and waiting for me.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 pint of raspberries (12 ounces)
1/2 lime, juiced (about 2 TB)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Put the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir for about a minute or so until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the berries. The berries will quickly soften and start to break down. Cook for another minute then add the lime juice.
2.  Puree the mixture. If you have a strong blender, completely puree the mixture until it is smooth. If you still see bits of raspberries in the mixture then go ahead and strain it before proceeding.
3. Refrigerate the sherbet puree overnight.
4. The next day pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and let it process for 15-18 minutes. Freeze the sherbet for a few hours before serving.