If You Don't Have an Ice Cream Maker....

Run, don't walk, immediately to the store and buy one! Or, order one from Amazon and don't get up from your computer at all.  I happen to have the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker and could not love it more! 

This beautiful, easy-to-use, and ever so economical device sat unused in my kitchen cabinet for two years before I discovered the joy it would bring to my life. While I am a little sad about the wasted time, I am far more grateful for the lifetime of on-the-fly frosty concoctions that lies ahead. 

For all of you who are lucky enough to own an ice cream maker, and those of you smart enough to just have purchased one, I give to you an incredible, refreshing and gorgeously fresh, Strawberry Lime Sorbet!

Strawberry Lime Sorbet     

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half  

1 cup fresh blackberries
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lime

1. First you'll need to make a simple syrup* - and it really is simple. Combine water and sugar in a sauce pan over low heat. Turn off heat once sugar dissolves, about 4-5 minutes. Let cool. Done.

2. Place strawberries, blackberries and cooled syrup in a blender and puree.

3. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any blackberry seeds (this is important if you don't want to break a tooth). Pour the berry mixture back into the blender and add the zest of 1 lime. Give it a quick whir to combine.

4. Place the entire mixture in the fridge for 2 hours - overnight.

5. Put the berry mixture in the your frozen ice cream bowl (my machine has a bowl that needs to sit in the freezer for 8-12 hours until frozen. I leave it in there all the time.) and let your ice cream machine do the work for about 20-25 minutes.

6. The sorbet is ready to go when it looks like sorbet. Its not an exact science. If you want your sorbet a little more firm, put it in the freezer for an hour or so. Just let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes prior to serving to soften it up again.

A note about simple syrup: Most simple syrups are equal parts water and sugar. I don't like my desserts overly sweet so I cut back the sugar by quite a bit. Feel free to experiment. Simple syrups are also incredible for sweeting up homemade iced tea, lemonade and cocktails.