How to Make Strawberry Sorbet

Roasted Strawberry Sorbet — Photo:
Cedric Angeles

Active Time:

30 mins

Chill Time:

12 hrs

Freeze Time:

4 hrs

Total Time:

17 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

8 servings

Silky, juicy, and fruity, this sorbet is bursting with strawberry goodness. Red wine adds complexity and depth while lemon juice keeps things beautifully bright. Thanks to its tart sweetness, this frozen treat will leave your palate feeling enticed and refreshed rather than overwhelmed.

This fine-textured, ruby-red sorbet gets its dark berry flavors from Pinot Noir and roasted strawberries. Adding sugar softens and draws out water from the strawberries while a sprinkle of salt heightens the sweetness of the fruit by balancing out the sour notes. Pinot Noir adds its color and complex flavor to the final sorbet. Delicious on its own, you can also serve the sorbet with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sorbet and sherbet?

Sorbets and sherbets are frozen desserts that sound similar but are different in key areas. Sorbet is made of a simple sugar syrup infused with fruit puree or juice and then chilled and churned. The aeration from churning creates a creamy, smooth texture with micro ice crystals. Sherbet is prepared similarly but with an added dairy (or dairy alternative) product, as with this Boysenberry Oat Milk Sherbet. Still, sherbet is not ice cream, which has a milk or cream base with some flavoring. Sherbet has a smaller ratio of dairy.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

“Roasting the strawberries deepens and concentrates their flavor,” says F&W tester Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman. “This makes it so you get amazing strawberry flavor even during winter when the berries are not at their prime.”

You want your base to be at about 38°F to 40 °F when added to your ice cream maker. The cooler the base is, the faster it will freeze and the smaller the ice crystals in the mixture will be. This contributes to a smoother, rather than icy texture in your sorbet. The sorbet will not get a firm, scoopable consistency in the ice cream maker. You’re just looking for it to thicken to about the consistency of soft serve. It will firm the rest of the way in the freezer.

Make ahead

This sorbet is a good, simple, make-ahead treat for a dinner party that can be savored during wintry or warmer months alike. The sorbet may be stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Press plastic wrap onto the sorbet surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Cover with a second layer of plastic wrap or an airtight lid for added protection.

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Ingredients

2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled (about 8 cups)
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Pinot Noir, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Toss together strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Spread in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are softened and deepened in color and juices just begin to thicken, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup wine and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan, and cook over medium, stirring often, until mixture reduces to 3/4 cup, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set reduced wine mixture aside, uncovered, until ready to use.
Transfer roasted strawberries and any juices to a blender, and add reduced wine mixture and lemon juice. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape; place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer set over a medium-size heatproof bowl, pressing to extract liquid; discard solids. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup wine. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely chilled (an instant-read thermometer should register about 40°F), at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. (Alternatively, to make and churn the sorbet the same day, transfer sorbet base to a large metal bowl and set over an ice bath. Let stand, whisking frequently and refreshing ice as needed until cooled to at least 40°F.)
Stir chilled strawberry mixture, and pour into the freezer bowl of an ice cream maker; proceed according to manufacturer’s instructions for a soft-serve consistency. Spoon into a 1 1/2-quart freezer-safe container; cover with plastic wrap, pressing the film to the surface. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.