Black Plum Sorbet Recipes

BLACK-PLUM SORBET WITH HONEY AND THYME

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water over medium heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme sprigs, pressing them under the surface of the syrup. Allow them to steep for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, peel and pit the plums, chopping them coarsely as you do. Combine the plums, about 1/3 of the skin, the ascorbic acid and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.
• Remove the thyme sprigs from the syrup and stir in the honey until dissolved. Pour 1/2 cup of the honey-thyme syrup into the plum mixture and process until blended. Taste the mixture; it should be sweet, but not intensely so. If plums were underripe, you might need to add a little more syrup. Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before churning in an ice-cream maker. Set up to finish in the freezer.

PLUM SORBET WITH BLACK-CURRANT LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Stir sugar and 1 cup water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar completely dissolves. Boil until syrup is reduced to generous 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Chill simple syrup until cold.
• Puree plums in processor until smooth. Pour mixture through medium-mesh strainer set over 4-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much pulp and liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer. Stir chilled simple syrup and 1/4 cup crème de cassis into plum puree. Transfer to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon mixture into freezer container; cover and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 4 days.
• Scoop sorbet into 4 dessert glasses or small bowls. Drizzle with additional crème de cassis, if desired.

BLACK PLUM SORBET

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the plums, the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the plums are soft. While the plums are cooking, in a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water, cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, stir in the kirsch. In a blender or food processor purée the plums with the kirsch syrup. Strain the purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, let it cool, and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions.