Oranges & Apples - A Succulent Recipe For Sorbet

Fruit in ice cream has to be one of the best ways of giving your family a tasty yet refreshing treat. Some people tend to shy away from fruit ice cream, preferring something more creamy and rich such as chocolate ice cream or caramel ice cream.  I love those ice creams too but it's great to ring the changes and try something a little different occasionally.

When I make ice cream with fruit as a main ingredient I tend to make a sorbet - such as this orange sorbet recipe which is one of my favorites. However, I always use 'regular' oranges which is why I was delighted to find a blood orange sorbet at an ice cream parlor this summer (photo above). It was really refreshing and very strong in taste - much stronger than my orange sorbet - and the color speaks for itself!

I had a similar experience with apples in ice cream. Again, I tend to use 'regular' apples (usually from my garden) which I puree to make apple sorbet. The photo below, however, is of 'green apple' ice cream which I came across in France.

 

It was not a sorbet, neither was it a cream based ice cream - something of a hybrid really! Soft and milky but with more of a sorbet texture. If I ever get back to that ice cream parlor I want to know the recipe!

A Timely Sorbet In Spain

Some friends of mine occasionally 'escape' to Spain for a few days of much needed (and much deserved) relaxation. When I last spoke with them, they had just returned from a New Year's break there and I of course asked about the weather. It had been mild - much milder than where I was! - and they told me how wonderful the locally-grown orange and lemon trees were looking. Apparently, January is the month when oranges and lemons ripen on the island, being ready for picking late January and into February. I never knew this - I've always thought of oranges and lemons as summer fruits!

I suppose that's understandable though because it's the summer when I usually make ice cream sorbets. Hearing of ripening oranges and lemons made me think of an orange sorbet recipe I like to make which uses both fresh oranges and a juice from a fresh lemon.

Next time I see my friends I'll try to remember and give them a copy to take back to Mallorca. I can visualise them now .... on a balcony overlooking the sea, taking shade from the sun, enjoying the balmy air and enjoying their very own homemade 'locally grown' sorbet. What a nice thought!