Kiwi Sorbet with Grapefruit and Honey
Kiwi is mostly water and low in acid, so on its own it freezes into something icy and bland. Two cups of fresh grapefruit juice fix that, a honey syrup softens the set, and the kiwi is pulsed rather than blended so the seeds stay whole and sweet.
Ingredients
For the Honey Syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup, mild rather than buckwheat
For the Sorbet
- 2 cups fresh grapefruit juice from about 3 grapefruits, strained
- 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest finely grated, no white pith
- 3 ripe kiwis about 9 ounces once peeled
- 2 tablespoons vodka optional, for a scoopable texture
- 1 pinch fine sea salt cuts the bitterness of the grapefruit
Equipment
- Small pot
- Blender
- Ice cream maker
- Large Bowl
Instructions
Make the Syrup
- Warm the water with the sugar and the honey in a small pan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour it into a large bowl and put it in the refrigerator to cool while you deal with the fruit.
Juice and Pulse the Fruit
- Zest 1 teaspoon from one grapefruit before you cut it, taking the colored layer only, then juice enough fruit for 2 cups and pour the juice through a sieve to catch the pulp and membrane.
- Peel the kiwis, quarter them, and pulse them with 1 cup of the juice in a blender or food processor in short bursts, five or six of about two seconds each. Stop while small pieces of fruit are still visible. Running the machine cracks the black seeds, which are bitter, and there is no fixing that afterward.
Chill and Churn
- Stir the kiwi mixture, the remaining juice, the zest, the vodka and the salt into the cold syrup. Taste it now: grapefruits vary a lot, and if it is very sharp add a tablespoon more honey. Chill the base for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until it is thoroughly cold.
- Churn in an ice cream maker for 20 to 25 minutes, until it mounds and holds the trail of a spoon. It will be soft coming out, which is correct. Scrape it into a chilled container, press parchment onto the surface and freeze for 3 hours before scooping.
Without an Ice Cream Maker
- Pour the chilled base into a shallow metal pan, freeze it for 45 minutes, then rake it thoroughly with a fork, breaking up everything set around the edges. Repeat every 30 minutes for about 3 hours, five or six rakings in all. The texture comes out flakier, closer to a granita.
Notes
Pulse the kiwi, never blend it. Cracked kiwi seeds are bitter and no amount of sugar hides it. Five or six two second pulses, stopping while small pieces of fruit are still visible. A potato masher also works and cannot over-process anything.
Chill the base to refrigerator cold, at least 2 hours or overnight, before it goes in the machine. A warm base gives large ice crystals and a grainy texture.
No ice cream maker: pour the chilled base into a shallow metal pan, freeze 45 minutes, rake hard with a fork, then repeat every 30 minutes for about 3 hours.
Alcohol-free: leave out the vodka and add 2 more tablespoons of honey. It sets harder, so let it stand 10 minutes before scooping.
Storage: best within 1 week and good for 1 month, in a shallow container with parchment pressed onto the surface.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 0.6g | Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.2mg