Sorbet is the perfect summer treat. Not only is it refreshing, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to take advantage of fresh, summer fruits. Sorbet is a healthier alternative to many summer treats, and many recipes allow you to make them gluten-free and dairy-free, and even vegan friendly.

You can use any fruit flavour you want and even mix them. Some of our favourites include:

• Raspberry, strawberries, strawberries
• Peach, pineapple, kiwi
• Watermelon, honeydew, or cantaloupe

What you need:

• An ice crushing blender or small food processor
• Favourite frozen summer fruit
• Simple syrup, honey, maple syrup or agave for sweetness
• A squeeze of lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit juice

Instructions:

Sugar Syrup

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for a further 15-20 minutes until you get a sugar syrup. Pour into a glass jar/bottle. Let it cool completely and for best results, chill in the fridge until you need it.

Fruit Sorbet

1. Cut up whole fruits into ½ inch cubes (except raspberries – these can be frozen whole). Lay the fruits in a single layer on parchment paper-lined baking trays (it’s OK if the fruits touch).
2. Freeze the fruits entirely and store them in freezer bags.
3. Roughly weigh out 8 oz of the frozen fruit and place it in a small food processor or ice-crushing blender.
4. Pulse to crush the fruits into small pieces and add the simple syrup, a tablespoon at a time (while pulsing) to create a smooth sorbet-like paste. Please see the notes.
5. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and run the blender for a few seconds to mix.
   
   

Spoon it into a bowl and serve immediately – or store in the freezer until you’re ready.

Tips and Tricks

• When using the blender, it’s best to use it in short bursts as the blades heat up, and this could melt your sorbet. The smaller the fruit pieces, the faster it will puree. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t melt.
• Adjust the sweetness/sugar level by adding more or less sugar syrup. If you don’t like sweeteners, you can substitute them with just water or orange juice (or any kind of fruit juice).

The Flavour Bender inspired this recipe.