About Me

I have been cooking my way through life for over 50 years, beginning with mud pies as a child. I've turned a corner now and feel a Renaissance in my life. Recipes and Random Thoughts is my personal spin in a blog about how to prepare good food and how it prepares you for life. I want to share with you, honest to goodness food punctuated with perspective from the special memories and moments that have marked my journey.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Watermelon--Raspberry Sorbet

I mentioned in my last post that my husband found the flavor of this recipe "complex".  I asked him to guess what the flavors where.  The watermelon and raspberry where obvious, but it's the hint of chocolate that fooled him a bit.  This cool sensation evolved from two seperate recipes.  I had made raspberry coulis and on a whim added chocolate extract to it.  Yum!  It was a hot July and I was making watermelon sorbet for a dinner party and decided to throw in some of the chocolate raspberry coulis. Complex and delicious.  Everyone loved it.

Chocolate Raspberry Coulis

1 pint fresh raspberries (about 12 oz.)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Frambois (raspberry liquer)
1 tablespoon chocolate extract (available in baker's catalogues or internet)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a  large heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Skim off the foam and reduce to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes then strain through a chinois or fine mesh strainer pressing through as much as possible but not seeds.  Stir the chocolate extract into the strained mixture.   Refrigerate in a glass jar with lid up to a month.  Chill coulis at least 4 hrs. before adding to sorbet mixture below. Makes about 6 oz.

Sorbet

Next make a medium simple syrup using 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water. Bring water to a boil, then add sugar and reduce heat stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer for 10  minutes until reduced to 1 cup syrup. Turn off heat and add 1 tbls lime juice.  Pour into a glass jar and allow to cool.  Should make about 1 cup.  Combine the raspberry coulis and simple syrup in to a single jar and chill completely.

Seed  4 cups watermelon and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Pureen cubes in a food processor until smooth.  Combine watermelon puree and 1 cup raspberry syrup mixture mixing well.  Chill completely. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions.  Store sorbet in air tight container and freeze overnight.