Orange Sorbet Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is orange sorbet made of? ›

Method. Put the orange juice, star anise and sugar into a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then remove the star anise. Cool, then pour into an ice-cream machine and churn until smooth and frozen.

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.

The Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet

The difference between these two types of frozen desserts is mainly how much dairy they contain. Sorbet contains no dairy whatsoever, while sherbet contains a little cream or milk to give it a richer, creamier texture.

Too little sweetener and your sorbet will be icy; too much sweetener and it will be mushy. Churn or stir your sorbet while it's freezing to prevent large ice crystals from forming. Please note the “Easy (no keep)” method doesn't require any sweetener or churning/stirring.

Sorbet is strictly fruit juice and sugar while sherbet is fruit juice, sugar, and a bit of milk. That gives sorbet a brighter, more vibrant flavor and sherbet a creamier consistency.

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.

The Master Ratio

If you don't know the exact sugar content of your fruit, the best thing you can do is play it safe. A sugar concentration between 20% to 30% will generally produce a scoopable, creamy sorbet. * Add less and your sorbet is too icy to scoop; add more and it may never freeze.

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.

Sorbet has less calories than ice cream and other frozen desserts, and no fat. It's fruit content also makes it rich in vitamin C. Any downsides? That fruit content also means it contains a fair bit of sugar, and if we're comparing it with ice cream and gelato, it has less calcium, vitamin A and iron.

A sorbet does not contain any dairy products and is more acidic, which results in tart flavors.

Which is healthier, sorbet or sherbet? ›

Sherbet is made with dairy, so it contains a little bit of fat. One ½ cup serving of sherbet averages around 130 calories and 1 to 3 grams of fat. Sorbet is made with just fruit and sugar and is therefore fat-free. There are between 120 to 150 calories per ½ cup of sorbet.

And yes, I hear you behind there, can you make strawberry sorbet without ice cream maker? I can bet you can! All you need is a blender and a freezer. And maybe a bit of patience, but that's about it!

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.

"Sorbet is made with fruit but no dairy (eggs or milk/cream) so it's generally vegan-friendly and suits those with egg or dairy allergies, too," she says.

Too little sugar and the sorbet becomes icy, too much and it can be slushy — hit the sugar level just right and the sorbet will taste creamy and melt evenly across your tongue.

Sorbet has less calories than ice cream and other frozen desserts, and no fat. It's fruit content also makes it rich in vitamin C. Any downsides? That fruit content also means it contains a fair bit of sugar, and if we're comparing it with ice cream and gelato, it has less calcium, vitamin A and iron.

Sorbet and sherbet are both lower in calories than the rich, high-fat “gourmet” ice creams. However, their high sugar content means they may have about the same amount of calories as light ice cream or frozen yogurt, or some store-brand ice creams.

With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream. This makes it a great choice for those watching their calorie intake or trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

If you're watching your waistline, sherbet may be a better dessert choice than ice cream because it usually contains fewer calories. While a 1/2-cup serving of vanilla ice cream contains 137 calories on average, the same portion of orange sherbet contains just 107 calories.