Last week I guest posted my Meringue Ice Cream Cake over on Zested. This week, Liz is posting here with her gorgeous Campari-Citrus Sorbet.
Liz's photography is stunning, very sexy, and as if straight out of a glossy magazine. I'd always followed Liz's blog, but I fell in love when I saw her Sage Brunch Biscuits With Strawberries, Bacon & Honey Crème Fraiche. She also recently shot some gorgeous photos for her cousin's wedding and has also only recently joined The Kitchn as a contributor, where you can see this same sorbet in popsicle form.
Please join me in giving Liz a very warm welcome to Mowielicious as I hand over to her:
Every summer seems to have its signature drink for lovely boozy evenings on our back patio, where dinner guests wash down grilled treats with cold beverages. This summer, it’s Campari, the Italian aperitif with a distinctive scarlet color and bitter-sweet bite.
It’s an acquired taste (and addictive once acquired). I first sipped Campari ages ago in a sun-filled Italian piazza, and while I felt so sophisticated, I wasn’t yet smitten. It wasn’t until a friend took my drink and dropped in a sweet slice of orange that I went a little Campari crazy.
This is where the sorbet comes in. For years I’ve wanted an ice cream maker, and the vision of citrus-Campari sorbet drove me to buy one. Why did I wait so long? Within minutes, my little Cusinart was turning out bowls of frozen bliss.
I thought the orange was perfect – frosty, fruity, with a little extra something – until I tried the grapefruit. It’s a palate-cleansing vision in pink, perfect for Campari lovers.
For an extra touch inspired by Martha Stewart, I froze a few in hollowed-out oranges to look like the fruit itself, topped off with a clove and fresh basil sprigs. It’s an extra step, and requires a bit more freezing time, but the adorable sorbet fruit would be an awesome end to a classy summer dinner party.
each recipe makes 1.5 quarts sorbet
Grapefruit Sorbet
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups grapefruit juice
1/2 cup Campari
Orange Sorbet
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups orange juice
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup Campari
Mix the water and sugar together in a small pan over a low heat, and bring up to boil until the sugar dissolves. Allow the simple syrup to boil for exactly 4 minutes (this will give the sorbet the best consistency). Remove from heat and cool (makes a little over 1 cup).
Combine the citrus juice and Campari and add 1 cup of the cooled syrup. Adjust to taste: for the grapefruit sorbet, you may want to add a tablespoon or two extra syrup if you prefer it less tart. Remember, the mixture will taste slightly sweeter in liquid form than it does when frozen.
Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s directions (if you don't have an ice cream machine, don't despair! They also make
great popsicles. After churning, allow sorbet to set in the freezer at least two hours. Serve in a bowl, or in a hollowed-out orange or grapefruit.
For presenting like a fruit:
Cut 1/2 inch off the top of an orange, just enough to expose the fruit inside. Hollow out all pulp with a spoon. Scrape the inside as clean as possible, down to the white pith. Fill with sorbet, replace the top slice of peel, and freeze until hardened, at least 4 hours. (There may well be a better way to freeze sorbet in this shape – if anyone has bright ideas, let me know!)
To plate, remove from freezer and carefully cut off the orange peel with a sharp knife, leaving the sorbet intact. You may need to re-shape slightly to smooth the sorbet surface. Top with a single clove, and herb leaves – basil or mint leaves work well. Serve to impressed guests.
