Red Wine and Raspberry Sorbet

In the midst of a heat wave, what can I do but make sorbet? Much too hot to fire up the oven, that's for sure. And with fresh raspberries making a welcome appearance in so many markets this week, it’s time to enjoy their lusciousness without making too much fuss.

I decided to make a cool and quenching Raspberry Sorbet and dress it up a bit with the sophistication of a great red wine. David Lebovitz shares his recipe for just this thing in Room for Dessert and it’s really delicious. It’s a simple sorbet that really showcases the tartness of fresh raspberries and the depth of a good fruity wine all in one lovely dish. A cup of sugar lends just the right level of sweetness that does not overwhelm the clean bright burst of fruit. It’s a terrific way to enjoy a super light dessert that will definitely bring on a bit of cool in this very lovely moment of Spring. Just the sheer beauty of its rich color is enough to stop you right in your tracks. Exquisite.



Bench notes:
- Be sure to use a very fruity wine to enhance the flavor of the raspberries.
- If your berries are extremely tart, you may want to increase the sugar by a tablespoon or so.
- There is also a recipe for a Sangria Sorbet recipe in this book. Similar idea but it uses orange or tangerine juice instead of raspberries. We’ll have to try that one sometime soon.

Red Wine and Raspberry Sorbet
adapted from Room for Dessert by David Lebovitz
Makes about 1 quart

1 C sugar
3/4 C water
3 C red wine, a fruity Merlot, Zinfandel or Beaujolais
3 C raspberries

Place sugar, water and wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the raspberries. Cover and steep for at least 1 hour.

Using a rubber spatula, push the mixture through a fine sieve into a container. Chill thoroughly.

Freeze in your ice cream maker.