Amazing Strawberry Sorbet

Real fruit sorbet is one of the cleanest expressions of summer fruit you can make at home. There’s nothing to hide behind. No cream, no eggs, no fat. Just fruit and sugar. That means the strawberries you start with matter more than the technique. Use the ripest, reddest, most fragrant berries you can find. Pale supermarket berries will give you a pale, watery sorbet. The orange juice is the trick that takes this sorbet from good to memorable. Citrus juice adds acidity that brightens the strawberry flavor and a small amount of natural pectin that helps the sorbet hold its scoopable texture instead of freezing into a brick. The simple syrup gets boiled for 5 minutes to drive off some water, which concentrates the sugar enough to keep ice crystals from forming too aggressively. That’s the science of soft, scoopable sorbet: the right ratio of sugar to water creates a smooth texture rather than the crunchy granita-style crystals you get with too little sugar.

Pro Tips

• Use perfectly ripe (or even slightly overripe) strawberries. Underripe berries give a sour, watery result.
• Strain the strawberry pureée through a fine mesh sieve if you want a perfectly smooth sorbet. The seeds give it a more rustic texture if left in.
• Chill the syrup, juice, and pureée completely before churning. Warm mixtures churn into icy granita, not silky sorbet.
• Eat within a few days for the best texture. Homemade sorbet hardens quickly in the freezer and turns icy after a week.
• Soften slightly at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping if it’s been frozen overnight.

Variations

• Substitute raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for an equally good fruit sorbet.
• Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar for an even brighter, more complex flavor.
• Stir in a tablespoon of vodka or fruit liqueur to the chilled mix before churning. The alcohol prevents the sorbet from freezing rock-hard.