Strawberry Sorbet From The River Café Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: Genius Recipes

July5,2021

5

16 Ratings

  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Makes 1 1/2 quarts

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Author Notes

In honor of Genius Recipes turning 10 years old, and this iconic three-ingredient Strawberry Sorbet from The River Café that started it all, we’re sharing a new video, with tips for adapting to the fruit and equipment you have, and a podcast episode with the story behind that whole chopped lemon (finally), plus two new sorbet buddies that require no special machinery at all. Serve this at a sorbet party along with the or Mascarpone Sorbet from The River Café (both on Food52), or all on its own.

The sorbet will be at its best and most dramatic with ripe, in-season fruit, but, as River Café co-founder Ruth Rogers advises, the most important thing is to taste the fruit and the sorbet before churning and adjust as needed—it should challenge you a little, and feel like the fruit is exploding in your mouth.

Adapted from The River Café Cook Book (Ebury Press, 1996) by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers.

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

Hear more about this recipe from Ruthie herself, on our podcast The Genius Recipe Tapes. Genius Recipes

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Watch This Recipe

Strawberry Sorbet From The RiverCafé

Ingredients
  • 3 large lemons, 1 seeded and roughly chopped, the others juiced
  • 2 cups(396 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 poundsstrawberries, hulled
Directions
  1. Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl. Alternatively, pulse with a blender or immersion blender in a large bowl.
  2. Purée the strawberries in a food processor (or using one of the alternatives listed in step 1) and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries.
  3. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen. Alternatively, pour into a shallow dish and freeze, stirring every half hour or so, until firm and scoopable. Serve right away or cover and freeze. For the best texture and flavor, eat within a few days. If frozen too hard, let soften for 10 minutes, or until just soft enough to scoop.

Tags:

  • Sorbet
  • Frozen Dessert
  • Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts
  • Italian
  • British
  • Fruit
  • Strawberry
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Summer
  • Raw Food
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Alison Jones-Pomatto

  • Austin Burges

  • amanda russell

  • Moyard O'Hara

  • borntobeworn

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

Popular on Food52

63 Reviews

Alison J. July 25, 2022

So easy and delicious. I had super ripe local strawberries so cutback the sugar and even added more lemon. Huge hit.

Jessica G. July 17, 2022

Its perfect! As if anything from The River Cafe would be anything but.

Tortoise July 11, 2022

a fantastic recipe that lets the flavors of the strawberries/raspberries' shine. i make preserved lemons and i added one salt and all to the recipe. I added preserved lemon to the food processor. it was a great twist on the recipe.

Kiki May 13, 2022

Hi there. I’m making this for the first time today, I’m sure it will be delicious. Has anyone tried making this with artificial sugar like stevia or erythritol? Would that work or is it a chemistry thing with the sugar as in merengues?

mlledaffodil April 16, 2023

I use Splenda for sorbet all the time, but you must add alcohol or the sorbet will freeze rock hard—1-2 tbs of vodka

katelizbaking July 13, 2021

I love this but I accidentally broke my food processor and my ice cream maker struggled. Would recommend halving the recipe if you don't have large kitchen appliances. Otherwise incredible. <3

snic July 6, 2021

I haven't made this specific recipe (which looks delicious), but in general if you add a tablespoon or two of vodka to a fruit- and sugar-based sorbet recipe, it will freeze to a nice scoopable texture rather than rock-hard. And usually you can't taste the vodka.

LNE July 5, 2021

I made this twice with apples. First with Ambrosia 'cause it's my favourite apple, peeled & cored, reduced the sugar because Ambrosias are quite sweet, it tasted like applesauce, I then added a dash of Żubrówka, put it in the fridge to chill a bit since all my ingredients were room temp, that was a mistake! The lemon went bitter. It also just looked & tasted like frozen applesauce so I will not use Ambrosia again. Second time, I chilled the apples and lemon in the fridge, I used Granny Smith, peeled & cored, sugar as is, one whole lemon and a dash of Żubrówka; this tasted much better! It tasted more like lemon than apple though so I may reduce the lemon next time. The colour was a very nice light green. After freezing in the freezer for an hour, the texture was like a slurpee but thicker. Any suggestions on how to intensify the apple flavour naturally?

Kristen M. July 7, 2021

How cool! Thanks for reporting back. Maybe a bit of Calvados or other apple liqueur? Or some reduced apple juice or cider, or boiled cider syrup? (King Arthur sells it: https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/vermont-boiled-cider-1-pint)

Suzanne May 19, 2020

I have made this incredible sorbet for many years and love it. Probably a silly question but has anyone turned it into sorbet pops instead? Is there a trick to making them the right consistency to pour into a pop mold?

Kristen M. June 29, 2021

Hi Suzanne, I'm sorry I'm just seeing this—the batches I've made recently seem like they'd work well as pops, but if you want to make them a bit harder, you could decrease the sugar slightly and adjust the flavors to taste.

Annefb August 21, 2019

Delicious and simple

Austin B. June 5, 2019

Really good, and easy. I'd recommend seeding the lemon before you toss in it though.

amanda R. February 28, 2019

This lemon trick is truly genius - a little goes a long way. I used this recipe as a base because I only had frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) and 1 lemon on hand. I used the food processor to blend and then churned in my Kitchenaid ice cream bowl. I added 1/4c-1/2c of whole milk for creaminess. Very delicious!

dannelson0 June 9, 2015

This is really, really good. Has anyone tried it with other berries/fruit?

Moyard O. July 12, 2013

This is absolutely delicious! The lemons seem to enhance the strawberry flavour and the colour is intense. I had a glut of strawberries in my garden and thought they would be wasted as a jam, but this is superb. I strained the strawberry puree to get most of the pips out and also strained out the chunks of lemon peel. And I added a tot of rum to stop it freezing too hard as I don't have an icecream machine. You just have to remember to stir it to break up the ice every couple of hours.

RuthAnn August 31, 2023

Hi, Moyard! I wish I had read your review before making my batch. We are chewing up chunks of lemon rind with every bite. :/ Shouldve strained those out first. Will do next time!

Eilibake June 25, 2013

Absolutely delicious! Was doubtful of the whole lemon blitzed at first but worked excellently. We used the whole lemon plus juice of only one other lemon and added a tablespoon of limoncello (might add two next time...!). Wonderfully intense color and flavour. Great!

bcbsr123 April 10, 2013

When you say one lemon seeded and roughly chopped do you mean the entire lemon rind and all?

Kristen M. April 10, 2013

Yes indeed!

Woodside April 10, 2013

Sounds like a mistake, right? But yes, rind too. The citrus version of "snout to tail."

kasia S. May 7, 2014

reminds me of a Nigella Lawson Chocolate Orange cake where you boil two whole oranges and then pulverize them in a processor, then add to batter, amazing.

RuthAnn August 31, 2023

Yes, but don't toss the seeds in. Also, I recommend you strain the lemon peels out. We were having to chew those up with every bite.

Woodside March 17, 2013

This is even better than advertised. I only used the one processed lemon, plus the juice of one other lemon, and the lemon flavor was good, but didn't overpower the berries. The consistency, even after being in the freezer for a few days, was still as good as day one. Is this adaptable to other fruits, varying the sugar, perhaps?

lllooolll January 18, 2013

wish i had done this for my food tec class. made it at home and it was a winner

marley16 August 1, 2012

this is fabulous! I am making for the second time this week. I may add some alcohol so it doesn't freeze as hard.

borntobeworn August 19, 2011

We're at the beach and I made this last night - YUM!! So glad I upped the quantity a little so we have plenty for tonight too.

Chubby B. August 16, 2011

I made this with Meyer lemons and it cranked the insane deliciousness up to eleven. One of the all-time great summer desserts and way too easy.

Strawberry Sorbet From The River Café Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is strawberry sorbet made of? ›

Place strawberries and sugar into a food processor and pulse machine on and off until fruit is broken up. Add water and continue processing until you have a smooth puree. Transfer to a container and freeze for 2 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.

Why do you add alcohol to sorbet? ›

Adding a bit of hard alcohol like vodka, tequila, or whiskey—all of which run around forty percent alcohol—to a frozen dessert helps prevent big ice crystals from forming in the mixture, resulting in a softer texture.

What is raspberry sorbet made of? ›

Place raspberries in the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. If an extra smooth sorbet is desired, press pureed raspberries through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Whisk together pureed raspberries and honey in a large bowl. Combine 3 cups of water, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan; stir to combine.

How to serve sorbet for dessert? ›

Sorbet should be softened slightly before serving. Put the container in the fridge for about 30 mins, then scoop into dessert glasses or bowls. This can also help enhance the sweetness. If you like, serve a few scoops of complementary sorbets together, or try sorbet served with a scoop of ice cream.

Which is healthier, sorbet or sherbet? ›

"If you follow a vegan diet or have a food allergy, sorbet will be a better choice," she adds. Plus, in terms of nutrition, sorbet will also be the healthiest option becasue it doesn't contain the milk, cream, or butterfat, which increases saturated fat content.

How does sorbet get creamy? ›

Without fat from dairy or eggs, it's the suspension of sugar within the fruit purée that allows the sorbet to churn into something with a creamy mouthfeel. You need 20-30% sugar in your sorbet, which will come from your fruit plus some added sugar.

What is the best sugar for sorbet? ›

Sucrose is fairly sweet and doesn't add much body to a syrup. That's why pastry chefs look to liquid sugar like invert sugar, glucose, or dextrose, which all make sorbet creamier when used properly. The easiest alternative sugar—the one you can find in any American supermarket—is plain 'ol non-high-fructose corn syrup.

What's the difference between sherbet and sorbet? ›

The major difference between the two is that sherbet is made with dairy and sorbet isn't. Sherbet has more of a creamy texture that you'd expect from ice cream thanks to ingredients like milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk in the mix. Sorbet, on the other hand, is simply sugar and fruit.

Is sorbet healthy? ›

Not only is sorbet a healthier alternative to ice cream, but it is also a dessert that can be enjoyed guilt-free. With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream.

Why put egg white in sorbet? ›

The optional egg white helps to stabilize, emulsify, and preserve the texture of the sorbet if you are going to keep it in your freezer for a few days.

Is sorbet healthier than frozen yogurt? ›

RELATED: Fun Gifts for Ice Cream Lovers

One major difference between sorbet from ice cream and yogurt is that, it does not contain any dairy. So if you're vegan, on a diet, trying to lose weight or are just allergic to dairy, then sorbet is the best frozen delight for you.

Why is my sorbet icy? ›

Some are very sweet, others are more mellow, tart, or even savory. Some boast floral, herbal, or spicy notes. There are even adult-only boozy sorbets. Too little sweetener and your sorbet will be icy; too much sweetener and it will be mushy.

Why do you put lemon in sorbet? ›

Lemon Water

It may seem like an overwrought step but it really helps. It gives the sorbet even more lemon flavor and just a touch of bitterness which nicely balances the sweet and sour. There is so much flavor in lemon peel it would be a waste not to take advantage of it.

Do you put milk in sorbet? ›

Sorbet has just two main ingredients: fruit and sugar. There may also be some water, flavorings, or acid added to it, but it's essentially blended fruit that's churned and then frozen. No dairy is added to sorbet, which is how it is different from ice cream.

Do you keep sorbet in the fridge or freezer? ›

I freeze a container to the put the sorbet in so it won't melt when you take it out of the machine. Freeze it immediately. If the sorbet hardens a bit after being frozen for a couple of days, you can temper it by letting it “warm up” in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving.

What is sorbet made with? ›

One of the first frozen treats ever developed were ices (or sorbets), which essentially are a mixture of smooth ice, sugar, flavoring and other refreshing ingredients like fruit purees. A sorbet does not contain any dairy products and is more acidic, which results in tart flavors.

What makes sorbet different from ice cream? ›

Sorbets are water-based and made with fruit, fruit juice, fruit flavours and sugar. This summer favourite contains no fat but has a higher sugar percentage compared to its freezer family members, ice cream and gelato. Sorbets also offload an acidic sweetness that is created by using fruits and sugar.

Does strawberry sorbet have sugar? ›

Strawberries, Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Stabilizer (Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum). Manufactured in a facility that processes tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy and wheat.

Is sorbet ice cream or yogurt? ›

One major difference between sorbet from ice cream and yogurt is that, it does not contain any dairy. So if you're vegan, on a diet, trying to lose weight or are just allergic to dairy, then sorbet is the best frozen delight for you.

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