ORANGE SORBET - A super easy dessert and a must try for Chinese New Year


Somehow, Sorbet reminds me of my childhood vacation days with my cousins. The multi-coloured ice creams sold in wagons by the '"Ice-cream Walaas"" on Indian streets is such an inviting act of indulgence for a child. And we were no different. Most of these coloured popsicles were made of (God Only Knows) fresh water ( I assume), artificial flavour and edible food colours. The moment we hear the Ice cream Waala ringing the bell, myself and my cousins would  rush to stop him. We would pick and pester a chosen elder of our household to buy ice creams for us. The fun and excitement  lied after eating the ice cream.  We would all stick out our tongues to check who has a deeper deposit of colour on us and we were so proud of our achievement. I wish I could live those childhood days again. 

Sorbets are fruit based desserts made of frozen fruit juice or purees.  It is a non fat and a low fat alternative to the regular ice cream which is incorporated with air and dairy products. This difference makes a Sorbet more original in flavour in comparison with ice cream. Commercially sold Sorbets may contain traces of alcohol. This addition is done to lower the freezing temperature resulting in a smooth crystalline structure and also to improve the mouth feel of the end product.

Frozen desserts are said to have been brought from France, yet the history of Sorbet is not quite clear. Some sources say that Sorbets have originated from China  in the late 13th century - sourced from Travels of Marco Polo. Another version of the folklore is that King Nero invented Sorbet. A similar kind of dessert named Granita is served in Italy and supposedly contains egg white in addition to the other ingredients.  

I was inspired to try this recipe after I got hold of an Ice cream making manual at the Singapore Library. I don t remember the name of the book as I was so immersed ogling at the delicious pictures. Pardon me and read on........





Preparation Time: 20 minutes            Freezing Time : 4 + 4 hours           Serves : 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS

Cara -Cara Oranges ................................. 5 Nos ( gave 500 ml of juice)
White Sugar ............................................ 3 tbsp
 Water ..................................................... 1/4 cup

METHOD
  • Add the sugar and water to a thick bottomed vessel and heat it. Continue to do so until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup is warm. Keep aside.
  • Express juice from the oranges using a citrus press. 


  •  I have an electrical citrus press that I purchased ages before and it is one of my precious possessions.
  • Transfer the content to a juice blender. 
  • Pour the warm sugar syrup into the juice and pulse the mixture few times to blend well.


  • Transfer the juice to a freezer safe box and freeze for 3 to 4 hours. Remove from freezer and mix the frozen contents well using an egg beater or alternatively run it again using a blender and re-freeze for 4 to 6 hours. Repeat the process again for a smoother Sorbet. 
  • Remove and scoop out some into any serving bowl you fancy . I used the Orange peels. 





NOTES
  • Beating/ Blending  the frozen mixture is to reduce the size of the water molecules in the dessert. Because, pure water has a sharp freezing point and freezes into large sized molecules and ends up becoming a runny dessert very soon. 
  • I have not used alcohol or egg whites in my dessert so I repeated the blending process twice for a better texture.
  • Adjust the sugar quantity depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Since the lot I picked were really sweet, it did not require much sugar. According to me, Cara- cara Oranges are the most sweet and the edible portion is a beautiful deep orange desirable for Sorbet. You could also use Blood Oranges for an intense colour.
  • Actually you can store the sorbet for several days and enjoy -unless you are one of those who succumbs for cravings.  

Comments

  1. Hi Sowmya,
    Thank you for sharing this orange sorbet recipe. I have tried it, and really easy to make it, really like it.
    I have posted the recipe on my blog (Indonesian language) and link back to Tuma's Tongue Treats.
    Thanks again, it is really great that I found your blog.
    I will keep visiting your blog, keep sharing.

    Monica

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for trying it and for the link back. So sweet of you.Will visit your space to check out the recipe. BTW would you mind sending me a picture of the recipe to tuma79@gmail.com? I will post it to the tried and tested album on the FB page. Thanks and happy cooking. And a happy new year too.

      Delete
    2. Hi Sowmya,
      I have sent the picture of tried and tested orange sorbet to your email.
      Thanks for visiting back my blog, you are really a friendly and nice person. It is really a pleasure to know you.
      Thank you.

      Delete
  2. Dear Sowmya,

    Summer is just around the corner for us... Guess what I am planning to make? Thank you for such a simple recipe.

    Sarah

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

It is very important to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness as it helps us focus on possibilities of improvements. A big thanks for taking time to stop by my space.Would love to hear from you. I am even more eager to know if you have tried any recipe from my space. Do leave your feedback ,suggestions and queries here. You can also reach me at tuma79@gmail.com. I hope you enjoyed surfing around. Comments tagged with link back to other sources, advertisement or promotions unless prior approved will be deleted straight away.

Thanks for your understanding

Happy Cooking
Sowmya

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