Strawberry-Limeade Sorbet

My Venture into Frozen Desserts
It's been a crazy week so I had to do something simple for this week's post. I am not much of a dessert eater but, when I need something quick and easy to make to satisfy a craving for sweets, this is my go-to recipe.

This recipe has only four ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes to make. You will, of course, have to allow the sorbet to freeze before eating it but you can do your own thing while your dessert is chilling in the freezer. This dessert is not for everyone. It's a bit tart but I like it that way. In my opinion, when your taste buds are really stimulated by the sweet-tart combination, you don't eat as much.

Why am I using frozen strawberries? Before you diss my use of frozen fruits, I have to explain my rationale. Frozen fruits are picked at their peak of ripeness and often retain more nutrients than fresh fruits in the produce section – especially if those fruits were picked days/weeks before they arrived at your store. Second, the frozen texture will not be a problem since everything is pureed anyway. Third, everything needs to be chilled so why not start off with some frozen berries? Fourth, I can make this year round without having to use out-of-season fresh strawberries that are expensive and tasteless.

You'll notice that I'm not using an ice-cream maker to make this sorbet. I have used an ice cream maker before and the texture is better – but not so much better that it's worth the extra effort. You do need to use an ice cream maker for ice cream, sherbet, and gelato but you can get away with using a blender or food processor for sorbets. If you have an ice cream maker and the extra time, go for it!

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy dessert that's guaranteed to make you pucker – especially if you add extra limeade concentrate like I do. It's really refreshing. Let summer begin! Enjoy – and happy eating!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Strawberry-Limeade Sorbet
(Printable Version)

1 16-oz bag frozen whole strawberries (without sugar), thawed in the refrigerator until partially frozen
1 16-oz container frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed in the refrigerator
2 TBSP limeade concentrate, thawed in the refrigerator
Zest of 1 lime

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor (or blender). The ingredients need to be well chilled. I regularly add 1/4 cup of limeade concentrate (instead of 2 TBSP) because I like it extra tart. I've even added a 1/2 cup of the limeade concentrate and enjoyed every last lick. Feel free to add as much or as little as you want. Puree all of the ingredients for about 1 minute – scraping the bowl after 30 seconds.

Pour the liquefied sorbet into a sealable container. Immediately transfer to the freezer and allow to freeze until firm – about 4 to 6 hours (or overnight). As with ice cream, sorbet is best eaten when it has been sitting out for a few minutes to take some of the chill off.

Note:
Wanting to cut carbs and calories? You can use frozen strawberries in sugar-free syrup. You can also buy sugar-free limeade concentrate in some stores. The taste is great but the mixture freezes much harder since there is no sugar in it.