Cranberry Sorbet with Fruit (Printable)
Tangy cranberry sorbet paired with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and mango for a refreshing treat.
# What You Need:
→ Sorbet
01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (7 oz)
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (7 oz)
03 - 1 cup water (8 fl oz)
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon orange zest
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Fruit Topping
07 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (4.2 oz)
08 - 1 cup fresh blueberries (4.2 oz)
09 - 1 cup diced mango or kiwi (4.2 oz)
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until cranberries burst and soften.
02 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in fresh lemon juice, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Allow to cool slightly.
03 - Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.
04 - Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove skins and seeds, discarding solids.
05 - Refrigerate the strained mixture for at least one hour to chill thoroughly.
06 - Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions—typically 20 to 25 minutes—until thick and slushy. If an ice cream maker is unavailable, pour into a shallow pan and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30 to 45 minutes until smooth and frozen, approximately four hours.
07 - Transfer the churned sorbet into a container, cover, and freeze for a minimum of two hours until firm.
08 - Scoop sorbet into serving bowls and garnish with strawberries, blueberries, diced mango or kiwi, and optional fresh mint leaves.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like summer in a bowl but works year-round, whether you're clearing your palate after a heavy meal or surprising guests with something genuinely unique.
- The whole thing comes together without any fancy equipment if you're willing to stir a pan in the freezer, and the results feel far more sophisticated than the effort involved.
02 -
- The straining step feels optional but it's not—skipping it leaves you with a grainy mouthfeel and the sorbet tastes less refined, so take the extra two minutes.
- If your sorbet churns too slowly or gets hard before it should, your mixture probably wasn't cold enough—room temperature is the enemy here, so really do chill it fully before churning.
03 -
- Taste the sorbet base before you freeze it and adjust the sugar, lemon, or salt to your preference—it's much harder to fix once it's frozen solid.
- Keep your sorbet in the coldest part of your freezer away from anything with a strong smell, because it will absorb flavors and aromas more easily than you'd expect.