Sorbet Cassis – Blackcurrant Sorbet
Bursting with Berries on Midsummer’s Day
Sorbet Cassis (Blackcurrant Sorbet)
Midsummer’s Day dawned this morning and I was not impressed……half the apples had been blown off my tree and some of my herbs had been flattened. It had obviously been raining all night and there were deep, secretive puddles waiting to envelop my feet as I made my way down to the chicken hut. Yesterday had been warm and balmy, with scented breezes, today was dark and lowering, with angry-looking clouds scudding across the sky with the threat of more storms . There was only one thing for it, pick berries and make sorbet! I have been picking my blackcurrants and redcurrants for a few days now, they are ripening nicely, as well as some raspberries at the bottom of the garden. But today was all about currants, and as I picked my way through the undergrowth to pick my blackcurrants, I realised that I had been sharing them with the resident blackbirds, as several scurried away as I approached and I found half eaten berries on the ground…..that’s fine, I am happy to share, as long as I get enough for a pie, some sorbet and maybe some jam.
Bursting with Berries on Midsummer Day – Sorbet Cassis (Blackcurrant Sorbet)
I used to make ice cream and sorbets the old-fashioned way – by pouring them into a container, popping it in the freezer and then taking it out every hour or so to whisk and stir, in order to make it smooth and to stop ice crystals forming……but then one glorious day a few years ago, my husband bought me an ice cream machine, and I have not looked back! Apart from the fact that it mixes and stirs for you, it is also ready to serve after all the churning has finished……it’s a great piece of kit and I really should use it more. Today gave me the ideal opportunity to use it, and sorbet is JUST so easy to make too…..not custard base and lighter than normal ice cream. Plus, sorbet cassis – blackcurrant sorbet is one of my favourite iced desserts. This recipe is a classic French recipe and it takes no time to make at all…..a simple sugar syrup is made first, and then the fruit is cooked in it before being sieved and then churned and eaten! C’est parfait!
I also thought this was a WONDERFUL recipe to make and share on Midsummer’s Day, as berries are very popular in Scandinavia at this mystical and magical time of year…….one of my Norwegian friends used to make an amazing vanilla sponge cake and serve it with a compote of berries, it was divine, and always for Midsummer. Plus, it’s also nice to have a tub of home-made ice cream or sorbet tucked away for a special ending to a summer lunch or supper…..or maybe a scoop or two can be enjoyed whilst watching the television….or just because! All the reasons are good, and there’s just one more reason to make a sorbet with fruit and/or berries……Kavey Eats Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream challenge…….this month the challenge is to make an ice cream or frozen dessert with fruit or berries, and there is a prize up for grabs too, a juicer that will just fit in VERY nicely in my kitchen!
Whatever the reason, this is a gem of a recipe, easy to make and even easier to eat……the recipe is below, and do let me know if you make it and how it was enjoyed. That’s all for now, see you tomorrow with another Fish on Friday recipe, as well as some news about Rock Oyster Festival too…..Karen.
Sorbet Cassis – Blackcurrant Sorbet
Sorbet Cassis – Blackcurrant Sorbet
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 to 6 |
| Prep time | 35 minutes |
| Cook time | 4 hours |
| Total time | 4 hours, 35 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Valentines day |
| Region | French |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 150g caster sugar
- 200ml boiling water
- 500g fresh blackcurrants (topped and tailed)
- juice of 1 lemon
optional
- 1 small glass of liqueur de crème de cassis (about 90ml)
Note
Bursting with berries, this sorbet makes a refreshing end to any meal; if serving to children, omit the cassis liqueur.
Directions
| Step 1 | Make a syrup by stirring the sugar with the boiling water until dissolved, and allow to cool for about 15 mins. |
| Step 2 | Cook the blackcurrants in the syrup for about 5 mins until the fruit is soft. Whizz them all up in a food processor, then strain into a bowl through a metal sieve, rubbing with the back of a spoon to remove the pips. Stir in the lemon juice and cool. Add the liqueur if using at this stage too. |
| Step 3 | Freeze in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions until it becomes a thick slush, then scoop into a freezer container, I use an old ice cream container, and freeze. Or, if not using an ice cream machine, pour into a shallow freezer container and beat 3 or 4 times as it freezes. Before serving, allow to thaw and soften for about 10 mins and then scoop into bowls. |
Sorbet Cassis – Blackcurrant Sorbet
Jacqueline says
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy this looks good. Could I have a scoop right now please. We didn’t have ice cream as promised tonight, because hubby was stressed when he realised the phone wasn’t working, so we couldn’t call his dad to come and get us and we would have to locate a taxi and hope they had some English. Got home eventually, Cooper was a star, but no sorbet or ice cream. I feel hard done by!
Karen says
AW thanks Jac….Sorry to hear about the hassle of getting home though, what a shame…..BUT there is always another ICE CREAM day! 🙂 Karen
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
This looks beautiful. The colour is just amazing and this flavour is one I very much associate with being in France. I think I need to buy myself a blackcurrant bush! I love your photos on this post xx
Karen says
Thanks Laura! I also think that this is a very French flavour too….and I am so thrilled with my blackcurrant harvest this year!
Denise says
This looks absolutely luscious!
Karen says
THANKS Denise! 🙂 Karen
Jude - A Trifle Rushed says
Truly Scrumptious, I must try making sorbets this summer, very boringly I stick to vanilla or chocolate ice cream (you can tell I am the mother of two men! They prefer the same old things, time after time, after time….) LOL!
I love my ice cream maker and was thinking of getting one for France, do you make ice cream there or only sorbets?
Enjoy the oyster festival I’ve seen some lovely pictures of the seafood on twitter, now I’m counting down to the summer in Brittany, I really can’t wait to cook some lobster and crab! Jude x
Karen says
Thanks Jude! I LOVE sorbets as you can use lovely seasonal fruit and berries and one of my favourites is pear sorbet, I LOVE it! I tend to transport my ice cream maker between countries, but a second one would be a VERY good idea! 🙂 Karen
Dom says
Such a wonderful colour. I adore cassis in sorbet. Really wonderful. I love sharp sweet that only berries bring to a sorbet. Divine! Oh and lucky you to have such a lovely husband to buy you brilliant tools!!
Karen says
Thanks Dom! I LOVE my ice cream maker actually, it makes all that mixing every two hours or so redundant! EASY peasy now!
Choclette says
Oh yum, hard to imagine wanting sorbet at the moment, but if I did, this would be the one – gorgeous colour. You’re doing very well, blackcurrants aren’t ready down here yet – OR at least I hope there not as I’ve no time to raid my mother’s bushes this week. I have to make ice-cream the old fashioned way AND it is a bit of pain!
Karen says
Thanks Choclette! My blackcurrants are still fruiting, and my redcurrants are now starting to appear too…..it’s summer pudding season I think!
Javelin Warrior says
Another gorgeous post, Karen – the color of this sorbet is stunning and love the use of blackcurrents… I’m featuring this in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I always love dropping by to see what you’ve created…
Karen says
THANKS so much – I am thrilled that one of my posts and recipes caught your eye, as your amazing Food Fetish Friday is TOP DRAWER! I am sorry not to have been by your fab blog lately, I NEED a WHOLE day to visit my favourite places, of which yours is one, but I will be by soon! Karen
Maya Russell says
Shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/maisietoo/status/329847389680701442
Lisa Williams says
this looks so good thank you 🙂
Lisa Williams says
wow this looks so refreshing I am tweeting this 🙂
Tracy Nixon says
Now this looks very refreshing! Wished I had seen this earlier when we had the real hot weather a few weeks back!!! Sharing via G+
Robin says
Just come across this recipe. Looks interesting, but do you seriously top and tail the blackcurrants? You must have a lot of patience and blackcurrant juice everywhere!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I topped and tailed the ones that needed to be trimmed Robin! Karen
Roger says
I’m clearing out the freezer of all my blackcurrants from last year and following your recipe. First batch(three times bigger than the recipe) is made and in tubs in the freezer, two batches more to go. It tastes delicious. One thing I didnt understand. Why let the syrup cool and then have to heat it up again to cook the blackcurrants? And does cooking mean simmering?
Were really looking forward to having my favourite french dessert in the freezer
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Roger, I am pleased that you find the recipe delicious! As for cooling the syrup first, it’s a method that is always used when cooking (or should I say preparing) sorbets, maybe it’s best to start the blackcurrants off from a cold start so they cook better……as for cooking, yes, it means a simmer, which I will change to make it clearer; sorry not to be more precise, but I last made this recipe over two years ago, it’s obviously time to make it again though, when my currants are ready! Karen
Roger Hainsworth says
Thank you very much Karen
Julie says
Karen, thank you for sharing this recipe. My neighbor has a yard full of berries and let me buckets full. I’m from Alaska and black currants are fairly rare here although they are starting to gain in popularity. This is actually my first time eating them and I have fallen in love with these berries. I’ve made scones, raspberry currant jam and now this sorbet. I sampled some while putting it in the freezer container and it is wonderful!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I am SO pleased you love this recipe and also blackcurrants too! Thanks for letting me know! Karen