Most of the classic American blueberry desserts—pie, coffee cake, muffins, and the like—are all about the dark, baked side of blueberries. You know, with butter and cinnamon and vanilla and caramelization from hot roasting in the oven. But it's ice cream season now, and a grossly hot one at that (seriously, I just got back from a week in Southeast Asia, and that was a cakewalk by comparison). So right now I don't have much interest in cooking anything, let alone blueberries that taste so good raw.
Enter blueberry sorbet, a silky smooth scoop that's all about fresh berries at their peak, with the sweet crunch of blueberry seeds. As for the ginger, okay, I may be missing Southeast Asian food a bit. But it adds a clean, slightly spicy bite for depth, and it jives with the lemon juice to restore the berries' brightness beneath all the cold and extra sugar.
Recipe Details
Blueberry Ginger Sorbet Recipe
Ingredients
4 cups blueberries, washed (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons minced ginger
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Directions
Purée blueberries and ginger in a blender or food processor until smooth. 4 cups whole bluebrries should yield 3 cups of purée. Add sugar and blend for 30 seconds. Add lemon and salt, blend to incorporate, and adjust to taste.
Strain purée and transfer to refrigerator; chill for 2 to 3 hours until very cold. Churn sorbet in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to freezer to firm up for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Special equipment
blender or food processor, ice cream maker
Notes
Blueberry seeds are finicky, and even careful pouring through a high quality strainer can leave a few errant crunchy bits in your purée. But consider them a textural blessing; little pieces of skin and seeds are the chocolate chips of the berry world. You'll be happy to have them there.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
931 | Calories |
2g | Fat |
239g | Carbs |
5g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 931 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 2g | 3% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 326mg | 14% |
Total Carbohydrate 239g | 87% |
Dietary Fiber 15g | 52% |
Total Sugars 209g | |
Protein 5g | |
Vitamin C 60mg | 298% |
Calcium 40mg | 3% |
Iron 2mg | 10% |
Potassium 527mg | 11% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |