With temperatures consistently sitting in the 100’s, a good way to beat the heat this summer is with a homemade, healthy, cool treat! You don’t need to break your calorie bank on fattening ice creams to get your creamy fix – sorbet is a much healthier option, it’s easy to make and it’s just as satisfying as your favorite cone! Experiment with different fruits or try one of the recipes below; they’re sure to please.
Coconut and Lychee Sorbet
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chilled lychee juice*
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
*You can find lychee juice in the Asian section of your supermarket or at specialty shops and Asian markets.
Instructions
Bring water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer the reduction to a small bowl and refrigerate, tightly covered, for at least 1 hour, until thoroughly chilled, or for up to 2 days.
In a separate bowl, stir together coconut milk and lychee juice. Stir in the chilled syrup and lime juice. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When complete, transfer to a freezer container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with garnish of mint leaf for a special touch.
Chocolate Sorbet
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bitter or semisweet chocolate finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk, for 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it’s melted, stirring constantly. Then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for about 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, and mix it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve with little garnishes of chocolate shavings, or eat directly from the ice cream maker with a spoon (hey, it’s hard to resist!)
Here’s the scoop (no pun intended) on the calories & fat!
½ cup servings
Chocolate Sorbet
Calories: 137
Fat 1 g
Coconut Lychee Sorbet
Calories: 176
Fat: 5.0g