Coconut Lemon Sorbet with tropical fruit salad

Now that summer is almost here, I am contemplating whether or not to buy an ice cream machine. I am tempted to buy one. There is nothing like home made ice cream and it seems like a best choice for kids compared to store bought ice cream. The little boy would be delighted. But again I am reminded of the alarming rate at which our cupboards and cabinets are filling up ever since we had kids. The kitchen is no different. The cabinets are just waiting to burst open. The kitchen counter is flooded with all sorts of gadgets. Baby bottle warmer, bottle sterlizer, vegetable steamer..you name it and we have it. My newly purchased props are not making it easier. In fact our basement has reached its humble capacity too. All this ..even before Lil miss P has started crawling.





But not having an ice cream machine doesn't stop me from making ice cream. Especially after how delicious the vanilla ice cream turned out..there is no way I am going to stop. The key to making good ice cream or sorbet without a machine is the manual churning that is required to be done to break down the ice crystals(see recipe for details). The more times you do it, the creamier the texture. Its requires some serious exercising of your arms :-) This is also where all those hours you spent in the gym would pay off.



This coconut and lemon sorbet is very easy to make, with just 4 ingredients, if you include water as one, that is. Coconut and tropical fruits always pair well and that is just a perfect way to enjoy this sorbet. I've used a combination of fruits unable to decide on one. But it would taste just as great with just one fruit too.

Coconut Lemon sorbet with tropical fruit salad

Makes about half a litre

Things you need -

500 ml coconut milk
juice of 1 large lemon
zest of half a lemon or more if you like the sharpness of it
half cup or 175 ml water
half cup or 65 gms sugar *
To serve, mix of chopped tropical fruits of your choice

How its done -

1. Boil the water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves completely. Now reduce heat slightly and allow it to simmer such that a syrup forms. i.e the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Switch off heat and keep the syrup aside and allow to cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, Whisk the syrup, lemon juice and zest together until well incorporated.
3. Add the mixture to the coconut milk little by little and mix well with a large spatula or balloon whisk. Adjust the quantity of the lemon-sugar syrup until the desired sweetness is achieved.
4. If you own an ice cream machine, just freeze as per manufactures instructions. If you don't own an ice cream machine, transfer the contents to a freezer friendly container and freeze. Every 2-3 hours take out the  container and churn the mixture for 5-10 minutes using a spatula to break down the ice crystals. This ensures a smooth texture. Do this 3 to 4 times before allowing the mixture to freeze overnight.
5. To serve, take the sorbet out of the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. Dip the ice cream scoop in warm water for easy scooping. Serve with tropical fruits.

Notes -

* The measurements for sugar make this sorbet just about sweet. Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your liking. DO not forget to increase the quantity of water accordingly while making the syrup. The ratio is 1 to 1.
- You could also make ice pops instead. In that case churn a few times before transferring to ice pop moulds. Or skip the churning realising that the texture of the ice pops might not be that rich or creamy.

 

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