BEFORE YOU START WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• Alcohol has a crucial effect on frozen desserts because of its low freezing point. Be very careful when adding alcohol – if you add too much it won’t set at all.
• When in doubt about using alcohol, spoon a spirit or liqueur over the sorbet just before serving.
• Sugar has the same effect on frozen desserts as alcohol. The more sugar a frozen dessert contains, the lower its freezing point and the longer it will take to freeze.
• A warm mixture should never be poured directly into a churner. Allow it to cool and then chill in the fridge for a few hours. The extra cooling time will result in a smoother texture. Never wash the bowl of the ice-cream machine in warm water − just rinse it with cold water.
• To avoid a solid crust of ice at the bottom of the ice-cream machine, pour the mixture into the machine while the paddle is turning.
• Take the ice cream out of the machine as soon as it has churned, otherwise it will freeze rock hard and stick to the machine.
• Sorbets can be stored in the freezer for three to four weeks. However, they will start to lose some of their flavour.
• Always use clean stainless steel utensils when working with ice-cream mixtures.
• If a sorbet is crystalline turn it into a granita by scraping with a fork to break up the crystals and serve in glasses.
• If you don’t have an ice-cream machine, pour the mixture into a plastic container, cover and freeze until it has partially frozen and ice crystals have begun to form, about 4 hours. Remove and beat until smooth with a fork, or a hand-held electric whisk. Refreeze until ready to serve.
TO DRINK: A drop of ice-cold kirsch or limoncello lemon liqueur or a glass of sweet, hot blackcurrant tea will round this dessert off beautifully
Raspberry and rosemary granita with double cream
Ingredients
- 100g sugar
- 150ml water
- 1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped
- 230g raspberries, use fresh when in season
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 20ml dry white wine
- 250ml double cream
Instructions
Combine the sugar, water and rosemary in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
Purée the raspberries in a food processor. Add the sugar syrup, lemon zest, juice and white wine. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze until solid.
Using a fork, scrape over the surface until ice crystals form. Serve immediately with lashings of double cream.
