Cool off with smooth
fruit sorbets

THERE are few desserts as refreshing as a cold scoop of intensely flavored fruit sorbet on a hot summer's day.

Sorbets are frozen desserts traditionally based on a sugar-and-water syrup to which pureed fruit or other flavoring is added. They may be made with or without an ice cream maker, but a machine provides a smoother consistency.

For the best flavor, use only the ripest, juiciest fruit in sorbets. When the fruit is of exceptional quality, spices or extra flavorings are not needed but provide added interest. For example, try crushed cardamom seed in pear sorbet, peeled and grated fresh ginger in lychee sorbet, or cloves and allspice berries in apple sorbet.

Sorbets have subtle differences from their frozen dessert cousins, sherbets and granitas. Sherbets often contain milk or other dairy product. Granitas are frozen in plain metal bowls in the freezer rather than in ice cream makers. The process of scraping granitas with a fork before serving produces the grainy texture from which their name is derived, according to Sarah Tenaglia, author of William Sonoma's "Ice Creams and Sorbets" (Time Life, 1996).

The following Lemon Sorbet becomes an elaborate dessert when topped with sliced fruit such as apple bananas and rainbow papayas and garnished with shaved chocolate or chocolate chips.

Lemon Sorbet

1 large lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups water
Optional topping:
1 cup sliced apple banana
1 cup sliced papaya
1 ounce shaved chocolate or 3 tablespoons chocolate chips

Roll lemon on the counter, loosening the lemon pulp. Cut in half and squeeze into a bowl. Remove lemon seeds.

Combine juice, sugar, and water; stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into a shallow container and place in the freezer. Stir occasionally to break up ice crystals.

Makes 4 servings

Approximate nutritional analysis per 1/2 cup serving: 100 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 5 mg sodium.

Approximate Nutritional Analysis per 1/2 cup serving with optional topping: 185 calories, 25 g total fat, 1.5 g. saturated fat, less than 5 mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium

For some sorbets, like this Pear Sorbet, fresh fruit should first be cooked by poaching. While the pears can be poached in water, using a sweet wine will provide a more flavorful product.

Pear Sorbet

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup wine
1/2 vanilla bean, split
4-1/2 very ripe fresh pears

In a small pot (see note), combine sugar, water, wine, and vanilla bean. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Quarter pears; remove core and stem; peel and slice. Add to pan and simmer over low heat just until pears are heated.

In a food processor or blender, puree pears and liquid until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve and cool. Freeze according to directions for the Lemon Sorbet or manufacturer's directions for an ice cream machine.

Makes 4 servings. Note: Use a noncorroding pan.

Approximate nutritional analysis per 1/2 cup serving 125 calories, 0.5 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium.

---

Barbara Burke is a Hawaii-Pacific University instructor who has been teaching
and writing about food and nutrition since 1975.

Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., is a food and nutrition consultant
and owner of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.
She is also responsible for the nutritional analyses
indicated by an asterisk in this section.

---