By Beth Byrd, Staff Writer
Cool treats are growing popular with summer’s quick approach, but ice cream is not the only dessert for those seeking to chill during warmer days. Sorbet is satisfying because it appeals to a variety of tastes.
Sorbet primarily consists of water and flavoring, said Jessica Ferrell, junior English major and employee at YoLo Frozen Yogurt. Ferrell said sorbet is much like the gelato served at YoLo; the main difference is that sorbet does not contain heavy cream and milk.
Kirsten Nicely, assistant manager at Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream and Treatery and senior education major at The University of Tennessee at Martin, said sorbets are easy to create. The mixing process for one pan of sorbet at Maggie Moo’s takes 10 minutes to complete in the ice cream maker and freezes for three hours, Nicely said.
Sorbets at YoLo take even less time to freeze. Ferrell said YoLo owns machines called “flash freezers” that speed up the freezing process.
The only utensils required for making sorbet are a bowl and spoon, said Harrison Hodge, executive chef at Premier Place Catering in Jackson.
Hodge said to pour 1¾ cups of water, 1 cup of sugar and 6 cups of fruit juice or purée in a bowl. If desired, spices such as cinnamon or ginger can be added to taste, he said.
Hodge said after mixing ingredients, the mixture can be poured into an ice cream freezer and blended until it thickens.
If an ice cream freezer is not available, the mixture can be placed inside a freezer and stirred occasionally until it reaches the proper consistency. The sorbet also can be poured into molds to make fruit pops.
The process of creating homemade sorbet, not including the time to freeze the mixture, takes about 30 minutes, Hodge said.
Before making a sorbet, first choose the desired consistency, said Kaley Humphrey, sophomore psychology major and YoLo employee. Pureeing the mixture will give the sorbet a smooth consistency, but some people enjoy adding chunks of fruit or other ingredients.
Hodge also encourages trying to prepare new flavor combinations. If the taste is not perfect, remember the mistake and try something new next time, he said.
“One should find a sorbet recipe they are comfortable with and then go crazy,” Hodge said. “You may find you’re a natural or that you need some practice. Either way, have fun with it because cooking can be and should be fun.”
For students looking for a quick treat without the work of making it themselves, Maggie Moo’s and YoLo offer several fruit-flavored sorbets.
Nicely said Maggie Moo’s offers raspberry and mango sorbet flavors. The sorbets can be made into smoothies or mixed with berries and candies.
YoLo offers several sorbet flavors, including pink grapefruit and orange, Ferrell said.
Humphrey said flavor possibilities are endless. YoLo receives packets of flavors from its distributors in Memphis, but Humphrey said YoLo also makes its own unique flavors in-house as well.
