black Dahlia sorbetYes, summer is approaching, and nothing helps cool down our body temperature quite like frozen treats. That’s s why I am ramping up my freezer and refrigerator with grab-and-glow sorbets, doubled-dipped smoothie pops, pitchers of spa-water, and aqua Frescas to satisfy my sweet cravings and to keep me well hydrated. And with nature’s bounty of fresh fruit coming into the season, its time to gather the harvest and put it on ice starting with this berry sorbet. Bursting with antioxidants, blueberries are naturally high in fiber while being low in calories as well as complex carbohydrates. Their oxidative power of reducing DNA damage, lowering blood pressure, maintaining brain function, are a few of the many benefits that rank blueberries as one of nature’s superfoods.

Recipe notes: Adding whipped egg whites towards the end of churning, provides a lighter, smoother consistency. At the same time, the addition of a couple of tablespoons of vodka inhibits ice crystals from forming. What you will need: Cuisinart ice cream machine, blender, spatula, bowl, hand mixer, and container for freezing. Active prep time 15-minutes. Yields 1 1/2 quarts. Difficulty level: Very easy.

Ingredients:

Simple syrup

  • 1-cup stevia
  • 1-cup water
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Sorbet

  • 4-5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
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  • 1/4-cup lime juice
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  • 1/4-cup pasteurized liquid egg whites or aquafaba (if using aquafaba, add 1/2 tsp lime extract to offset the bean flavor)
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  • 2-Tbsp Blackberry infused vodka or plain vodka

Preparation:

  1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add stevia. Stir to dissolve and set simple syrup aside to cool.
  2. In a blender, add berries and simple syrup and puree.
  3. Strain puree. If using frozen berries, continue on to next day* preparation and process puree through ice cream machine. If using fresh berries, pour the puree into container and chill overnight.

*Next Day:

  1. Remove the ice cream cylinder from the freezer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. In mixing bowl, whip egg whites or aquafaba to soft peaks and add meringue towards the end of churning.
  3. Scoop sorbet into a container, lay a sheet of plastic wrap over sorbet, cover, and freeze.

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