I can't believe today is my 20th wedding anniversary; how could that be? I'm lucky I have lots of kids around me still; they keep me young at heart. My daughter and I were out window shopping last weekend when we waltzed past the gourmet kitchen store where she spotted a purple ice cream maker, mom we need that she insisted. I tried to summon all my will power and say no, but home "Barney" the purple ice cream maker came with us.
Ice cream and myself have a love-hate relationship. I try to keep it away from myself because I lose all self-control around it. So I decided how about a nice fresh fruit sorbet with the ripe blackberries I had just picked up. Before you knew it she had me roped into making lemon cupcakes with her, like I said no self-control. That's when the thought occurred to me why not make the sorbet the icing for cupcake, although I do love butter cream blobs.
If you do break down and buy one of these ice cream makers, sorbet can be made in just a few minutes.
Blackberry Sorbet
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Pinch table salt
4 cups fresh blackberries or frozen, thawed
I threw the inside of the ice cream maker in the freezer. It has to freeze overnight. Combine sugar and water in a small pan and heat on medium until all the sugar is melted. Set aside.
Pass blackberries through a sieve and collect puree. I like to put mine in a food processor first; it makes them easier to pass through the sieve (which is just a fine strainer). Combine the blackberry puree and simple syrup and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The maker only took 20 minutes to make the sorbet. Then I placed it in the freezer to make it a little firmer.
For the cupcakes I used this recipe I found on Food Network, texture was good, but I will pump up the lemon a little more next time.
What are you waiting for; run down and get your own ice cream maker.
I'm off to dinner with my husband and I still have some of this sorbet sitting in the freezing, just waiting for me to return.
Sweet Dreams,
Gina
