Peach Sorbet
This peach sorbet recipe uses five ingredients and about twenty five minutes of hands-on work to turn ripe yellow peaches into a smooth, scoopable dessert. The base is a classic cooked sugar syrup blended with fresh peach puree and a splash of lemon juice, the same method you'll find behind most restaurant-style fruit sorbets.
Equipment
- Ice cream maker - with a pre-frozen bowl or built-in compressor
- Food processor or high-powered blender
- Loaf pan or freezer-safe container
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ripe yellow peaches - 900g, about 5 to 6 medium, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup organic cane sugar - 150g
- 3/4 cup water - 180ml
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 30ml, about 1 medium lemon
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid turns clear, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Score a small X on the bottom of each peach, then blanch for 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to the ice water for one minute, then peel, halve, pit, and roughly chop the flesh.
- Add the chopped peaches, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth.
- Pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing with a spatula to push through as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Stir the cooled syrup into the strained puree until combined.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours, or until fully cold. A warm base will not churn properly.
- Pour the chilled mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually 20 to 25 minutes, until it looks like soft-serve and has visibly thickened.
- Transfer the churned sorbet into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, smoothing the top. Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface before sealing the lid, then freeze for at least 3 hours until firm enough to scoop.
Notes
- Use peaches that give slightly under gentle pressure. Underripe peaches taste flat and starchy once frozen.
- Don't skip the straining step. Skipping it leaves the sorbet with a stringy texture.
- Chill the base fully before churning. A warm base churns into a looser, slushier sorbet.
- Add lemon juice gradually and taste as you go. Riper peaches sometimes need slightly more acid to balance the flavor.
- Let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping for the best texture.
- Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for a full 24 hours ahead of time. A partially frozen bowl won't thicken the sorbet properly.
- Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container with a layer of parchment pressed directly onto the surface. Keep it in the back of the freezer away from the door.
- Sorbet keeps well for up to 2 weeks before ice crystals start to affect the texture.
- Avoid refreezing sorbet that has fully melted, as the texture won't return to smooth once it re-sets.
- For a no-churn version, freeze the strained base in ice cube trays, then blend the frozen cubes in a food processor until smooth and re-freeze for an hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 45mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 2mg
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