Lemon Sherbet With Raspberry Currant Sauce For 2 Recipes

LEMON SHERBET

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir cream and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in lemon juice and zest (mixture will thicken slightly). Cover and freeze until firm, about 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Spoon into lemon boats or dessert dishes.

RASPBERRY SHERBET WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the fresh berries to fill the sherbet receptacles at serving time. Put the 1 1/2 pounds of fresh or defrosted frozen berries in the bowl of a food processor with the preserves, and process until liquefied, or push through a food mill fitted with the fine screen. Strain through a sieve to remove any remaining seeds. You should have about 3 1/2 cups of raspberry coulis or puree. Reserve 1 1/2 cups for the sauce, and add the brandy to this sauce. Refrigerate until serving time. Add the lemon juice and water to the remaining 2 cups to be used for the sherbet, and freeze, covered with plastic wrap, in a stainless-steel bowl for about 3 hours, until frozen but not too hard.
• Break the frozen sherbet into pieces with a spoon, and dump them into the bowl of a food processor. Emulsify in several batches or all together until the sherbet becomes creamy and lighter in color. It should not be processed much more than 30 seconds; by then, it will have liquefied a little. Return the puree to the stainless-steel bowl, cover, and put back in the freezer for a few hours.
• To make the sherbet receptacles, line six 1-cup glass bowls with plastic wrap, and spoon a sizable scoop of sherbet inside each.
• With a spoon, press on the center of each scoop to hollow it out, and push the sherbet up around the sides of the cup to create a "nest" in the center. Fold the plastic-wrap edges over the sherbet, and place in the freezer for a few hours, until hard. (This can be done several days ahead).
• To serve: Remove the frozen sherbet receptacles from the freezer, and pull back the plastic wrap to expose the center. Fill each with about 1/4 cup fresh raspberries.
• Invert the sherbet cups carefully in the center of six dessert plates, and remove the plastic wrap. Pour the raspberry sauce around the cups, decorate with lemon peel, mint, or edible flowers, and serve.

RASPBERRY SORBET

Steps:

• Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Let syrup cool.
• Pulse raspberries and remaining 3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons water in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve set in a deep bowl or a large glass measuring cup. Using a rubber spatula, gently press down on the mixture to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
• Transfer raspberry puree to a deep bowl or airtight container. Add syrup, and stir until well combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturers' instructions. Transfer sorbet to a large airtight container, and freeze for at least 2 hours.

LEMON SHERBET

Steps:

• In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk with the sugar. Grate the zest of the lemon directly into the saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) milk, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
• Stir the lemon juice into the milk mixture. If it curdles a bit, whisk it vigorously to make it smooth again. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Lemon Sherbet is good with anything berry, including Raspberry Ice Cream (page 93) or Strawberry Sorbet (page 128). Or simply serve it with lots of lightly sweetened berries.