Pear Sorbet

We had some bangin' pear sorbet in Nice (at Fenocchio's) so when I got back to the States, I wanted to make my own. Turns out, sorbet isn't too complicated. You just need simple syrup and some pureed fruit. And luckily for me, there were some lovely super gorgeous pears in the store.

Ingredients:
4 pears
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1" knob of ginger, sliced
10 to 12 mint leaves
pinch of salt

The first step is to make a simple syrup. Add sugar and water to a small saucepan along with the sliced ginger and mint leaves. The ginger and mint are optional but I think they complement the pear really well.

Heat over a low flame until the sugar dissolves and then set aside to cool to room temperature.

Peel and core the pears, cut into small chunks, and puree in a food processor.

The pear is going to oxidize for sure - I know you can see the color difference in the photo above and this one right here - but to prevent it from going really dark, squeeze in some lemon juice as quickly as possible. The acid will help impede the oxidation. I'm wondering if I should have just squeezed the lemon juice into the food processor with the pear chunks; I'll try that next time. Then, mix in the zest and strained simple syrup and salt. Stir together and refrigerate until completely chilled, about four hours.

Once the base is chilled, dump it into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Store the sorbet in a plastic-lined loaf pan and put it back in the freezer for at least two hours to set up to a more solid consistency.

Then, just scoop and serve!

I garnished with some mint leaves. You know what would be cute? If you shaped the sorbet scoops into pear shapes and then stuck in the mint leaves like the pear stems. This is cute too though. Oh, and if you're looking for a bit of a cheeky alternative, squish a bit of pear sorbet into a tall glass, pour in a jigger of a clear liquor of your choice (maybe some Absolut Pear? or rum or vodka), give it a stir, add some club soda, and enjoy a refreshingly grown up slushie. A virgin version made with a lemon lime soda would be delicious too!

The sorbet is super pear-y and sweet and frosty. Perfect for a hot day. Sorbets are great because they quench your thirst too. Ice cream cools you down but I know it makes me super thirsty. Yummy!

Here's the recipe page: