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Winter Sorbet Sampler

3.6

(10)

Many dessert menus include a colorful sorbet plate-light and refreshing after a rich meal. Offer elegant cookies alongside. For the pink grapefruit sorbet recipe, we prefer Essencia, a dessert wine with the unique flavor of orange muscat grapes. It's made by Quady Vineyards in central California. If you cannot find it, use a Sauternes or a late-harvest Riesling.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 8

Ingredients

Pink Grapefruit Sorbet

1 3/4 cups Essencia (or other sweet dessert wine)
2 1/2 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice (from about 6 grapefruits)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon grenadine syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons grated pink grapefruit peel

Cranberry Sorbet

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup tawny Port
1 cup sugar

Pear Sorbet

2 1/4 pounds ripe pears, peeled, quartered, cored
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons Gewürztraminer or other dry white wine
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. For Grapefruit Sorbet:

    Step 1

    Boil 1 cup wine in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into large bowl. Add grapefruit juice, sugar, corn syrup, grenadine and peel; stir until sugar dissolves. Mix in remaining 3/4 cup wine. Refrigerate until cold.

  2. For Cranberry Sorbet:

    Step 2

    Cook all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until berries pop and soften, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Puree in processor. Strain into bowl. Refrigerate until cold.

  3. For Pear Sorbet:

    Step 3

    Combine pears and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons wine in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook until pears are tender, about 8 minutes. Puree pear mixture and sugar in processor. Mix in 3/4 cup wine and corn syrup. Chill until cold.

    Step 4

    Process each mixture separately in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze in covered containers. (Can be made 1 week ahead.)

    Step 5

    Using oval-shaped ice cream scooper, place 1 scoop of each sorbet on each plate. Garnish with mint.

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