Sorbets

Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup is thick and mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf; cool syrup. Strain syrup into medium bowl. Add orange juice, lemon juice, and vodka. Transfer to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.

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BLOOD ORANGE SORBET
Makes 1 Quart

4 pounds blood oranges
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vodka

Finely grate enough peel from oranges to measure 1 1/2 tablespoons. Combine 1 1/4 cups water, sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons orange peel in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup boils; remove syrup from heat. Cut all peel and pith from oranges. Working over bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Discard any seeds. Transfer orange mixture to processor; puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure 2 1/3 cups orange puree and mix into orange syrup (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Add vodka and cover orange mixture; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day to blend flavors. Process orange mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container; cover and freeze. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

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CREME FRAICHE SORBET
Makes 8 Servings

1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 8-ounce containers crème fraîche *
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vodka

Crème fraîche is available at some supermarkets. If unavailable, heat 1 cup whipping cream to lukewarm (85F). Remove from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and let stand until slightly thickened, 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature of room. Chill until ready to use.

Stir 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Transfer syrup to bowl; chill until cold, at least 1 hour. Whisk crème fraîche, vanilla and lemon juice into syrup. Transfer to ice cream maker. Process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to container. Cover; freeze up to 1 week.

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PLUM AND RED WINE SORBET
Makes 1 1/2 Quarts

1 pound ripe red, black, or prune plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
2 (3- by 1-inch) strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 black peppercorns
Stir together all ingredients and a pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until plums fall apart, about 25 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and zest. Purée in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
Freeze purée in ice cream maker, then transfer sorbet to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 1 hour. (Plum purée can be chilled up to 1 day. Sorbet keeps, frozen, 1 week.)

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The creaminess and vivid flavors make you forget they're fat-free!

Updated March 23, 2008

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 3 pints fresh blueberries, cleaned 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon vodka Combine the sugar, water and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let stand until cool.. Place the blueberries, ginger syrup, lemon juice and vodka in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze according to the directions on your ice-cream machine.

1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups water 8 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices trimmed rhubarb (3 pounds untrimmed) 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup pomegranate juice (grenadine) 21/2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur 1/8 teaspoon salt Stir rhubarb, orange juice and 3/4 cup syrup in large saucepan over medium heat until rhubarb falls apart and mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Puree in processor. Press through strainer into large bowl, leaving any fibers behind. Mix pomegranate juice, liqueur, salt and 3/4 cup syrup into puree (reserve remaining syrup for another use). Chill until cold. Process rhubarb mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to container; cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

2 1/4 cups red Burgundy wine 1 1/4 cups water 2/3 cup sugar 4 3 inch-long cinnamon sticks Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 45 minutes. Strain mixture through sieve into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Transfer sorbet mixture to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze sorbet in covered container until firm, about 30 minutes.

3/4 cup sugar 1/2, cup water 2 cups pure pomegranate juice 1 cup tangerine or orange juice 1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine peel or orange peel 1 tablespoon vodka Combine sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool completely. Whisk in pomegranate juice, tangerine juice, peel and vodka. Transfer mixture to ice maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze sorbet in covered container until firm.

4 pounds concord grapes, stems removed 1 cup (or more) water 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vodka Combine grapes and 1 cup water in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until grapes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer grape mixture to strainer. Set over large bowl. Using spoon, press on grapes to extract as much liquid as possible. Measure liquid; there should be about 4 cups. Add more water if necessary. Add sugar and vodka to liquid in bowl; stir until dissolved. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturers instructions. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours. If concord grapes are not available, substitute 4 cups unsweetened 100% concord grape juice for the fresh grapes and water. Use 6 tablespoons of sugar with this option rather than the 3/4 cup.

1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon vodka Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes and set aside to cool. Place the raspberries, sugar syrup, vinegar, vodka and rosemary in a blender and puree until smooth. Let stand for 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze according to the directions on your ice cream machine. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

1 cup sugar 1 cup water 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces of honeydew 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons Midori liqueur In a saucepan combine the sugar and the water and boil the mixture, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool. In a blender or food processor puree the 2 cups honeydew pieces with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the Midori until the mixture is smooth, stir in the syrup, and freeze the honeydew mixture in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the sorbet to a bowl and freeze it, covered with plastic wrap, until it is firm.

1 1/2 pounds black plums (about 5), pitted and chopped 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons kirsch 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, and stir in the kirsch. In a blender or food processor puree the plums with the kirsch syrup. Strain the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl, let it cool, and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until firm.

1 1/2 cups water 1 cup sugar 4 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled 1/4 cup dark rum 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange liqueur Stir water and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup comes to boil. Remove from heat and cool. Puree Strawberries in processor or blender. Strain into medium bowl. Mix 1/4 cup rum, lime juice, triple sec and syrup into puree. Chill until cold. Process mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container; cover tightly. Freeze until firm.

12 ounces fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, picked over (about 3 cups) 2 cups fresh orange juice 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vodka In a large saucepan combine the cranberries, the orange juice, and the sugar and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. (Do not let the mixture boil too vigorously or it will boil over.) Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids, chill it, covered, overnight, and freeze it in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

1/2 cup sugar 4 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon vodka In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and cool until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Pass the cherries through a food mill or puree in a food processor, and then pass through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the solids and place the juice in a large bowl. (You should have about 2 cups. Whisk in the ginger, tarragon, lemon juice, vodka and sugar water mixture. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

2 cups water 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 large ripe peaches, pitted, coarsely chopped. Put the water in a saucepan. Add sugar, ground spices and vanilla extract. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate until cold. Put the peaches in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pass the purée through a strainer. Refrigerate until cold. Combine the chilled syrup and peach puree. Pour into an ice cream machine and proceed as directed.

4 cups water 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms* 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon vodka Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in heavy I medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrup is reduced to 4 cups, about 8 minutes. Strain syrup into medium bowl. Chill syrup until cold, about 2 hours. Transfer to ice cream maker. Add lemon juice; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to covered container; freeze until firm, about 2 hours. *Available at many natural food stores, organic herb stores

In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar and rosemary to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and vodka and refrigerate until chilled. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. MAKE AHEAD The sorbet can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2/3 cup water 1 1/4 pounds plums, halved, pitted 2 1/2 1/2-pint baskets raspberries (could also use frozen and thawed) 1/4 to 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Pinch of of salt 1 tablespoon vodka

Stir sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil syrup 1 minute. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. Puree plums and raspberries in processor. Strain puree through fine sieve into medium bowl. Add syrup, lemon juice to taste, vodka and salt and blend well. Process in ice cream machine. Can be prepared 2 days ahead.

Squeeze enough juice from grapefruit to measure 2 1/2 cups and pour through a sieve into a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar, and tarragon to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolve and simmer 5 minutes. Whisk syrup into grapefruit juice. Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker. Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Sorbet keeps 1 week.

3 1/2 cups fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 grated tablespoons orange zest 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup finely chopped basil 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon vodka

Sorbets

Sorbets to tantalize--either as a palate cleanser between courses or as a fat free dessert!

Sorbets to tantalize--either as a palate cleanser between
courses or as a fat free dessert!