Plum Sorbet

The end of plum season has sadly arrived, so I'm thinking of this as Last Chance Plum Sorbet. It’s an icy cold concoction of tart and sweet and a burst of bright color.

Sorbets are usually a fast and easy way to celebrate the pure flavor of fruit and this recipe from Emily Luchetti is no exception. The plums go into a handy food processor to become fruit purée. Put it through a strainer, add sugar, water, salt and lemon juice and off it goes into the refrigerator to chill. Give it a churn in your ice cream maker and there you have it. Last Chance Plum Sorbet.

Bench notes:
- Choose plums that are ripe but still fairly firm.
- If you decide to add more sugar, go easy or the sorbet won’t freeze properly and it will be very slushy.
- Add a tiny note of good quality kirsch if you’d like.


Plum Sorbet
adapted from A Passion for Ice Cream by Emily Luchetti

2 lbs (about 8) ripe plums
1/2 C sugar, to taste
1/4 C water
large pinch of kosher salt
1 t fresh lemon juice

Halve the plums, remove the pits and cut into 1/2” pieces.

Purée the plums in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. There will be about 2 3/4 cups purée.

Whisk in the sugar, water, salt and lemon juice. Taste for sweetness and add a little more sugar if it tastes too tart. Chill thoroughly.

Churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pour into a clean container, press a piece of plastic into the surface, cover and freeze for about 4 hours or until the sorbet can be scooped.