Blackcurrant Sorbet

Ingredients

• 2kgs / 4 ½ lbs blackcurrants (these don’t need to be stripped from the stalks)
• 600gms / 1 ¼ lbs sugar
• 100 – 200mls / 3 ½ - 7fl oz crème de cassis (optional)

Note: You will need a steamer for this recipe. We have a number of suitable options which can be found here.

Method

• Set up your steamer with 6cms / 2 ½ins of water in the base pan followed by the juice collection chamber and lastly the fruit basket. Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions to ensure the steamer is set up correctly.
• Rinse the blackcurrants in a colander then layer the fruit and sugar in the fruit basket
• Bring the water in the base pan to the boil and then reduce heat to a brisk simmer
• In time sweetened juice will start to seep into the collection; after about 30 – 40mins tap off the first extracted juice via the outlet hose & clip into a heat proof jug and pour back over the fruit and sugar in the fruit basket
• Repeat this again a couple of times over the next ½ hour
• When the blackcurrants have fully collapsed & released their juice lift off the two top tiers of the steamer and allow the juice to cool
• Pour into a bowl and stir in the crème de cassis
• Chill in the refrigerator
• If you have an ice-cream maker churn the chilled mixture according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• If you don’t have a special machine then set your deep-freezer on its “super freeze” setting, put the mixture into two large food grade plastic containers leaving enough space to stir the mixture as it freezes and expands.
• Stir the mixture periodically with a fork to break up the ice crystals and make a smooth consistency

Other delicious fruit sorbets Using the same method you can make other combinations of fruit sorbets. Raspberry and redcurrants in equal measure make for an excellent sorbet as do damsons and even rhubarb.