Grapefruit Sorbet

This beautiful grapefruit sorbet is a frosty dream inspired by the paloma cocktail. It’s a straight-shooting sorbet made with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice spiked with a kiss of tequila. The perfect jolt of citrusy sweetness to finish a meal.

Grapefruit Sorbet: The Technique

Citrus juice that has been heated tastes different than juice that hasn’t. To keep this sorbet bright and fresh tasting I cook just a portion of the citrus juice with the sugar – and only long enough to let the sugar dissolve. I find this keeps the flavor more clear, direct, and (in my opinion) better!

Sorbet Variations!

You can take this grapefruit sorbet in a number of subtly different directions, and I’ve noted a few of them in the headnotes down below. That said, you should play around and take notes.

• Citrus options: The base in the recipe below is made primarily with fresh grapefruit juice, rounded out with some orange juice. Feel free to play around with your citrus varietals. I used a lot of ruby red grapefruits, and navel orange juice plus a couple small blood oranges. That’s how you get that blushing color.
• Tequila and salt: Play around here as well. I like to introduce a whisper of smoky flavor into this sorbet. It’s cuts into the inherent sweetness, and you can do it in two ways here – mezcal or smoked salt. If you use a smoky noted mezcal in place of the tequila called for, you’ll get it. Alternately, you can play around with a smoked salt. A subtle smoky backdrop works really well alongside the grapefruit notes, but don’t go overboard. Think of the smoky flavors as seasoning.
• Ginger-spiked: Spiking this grapefruit sorbet with a kiss of ginger juice is another idea. It lends a bit of kick and spice, and stays with you for a bit. Grate a little knob of ginger on a Microplane, and then press any fresh juice against a strainer. Add the fresh ginger juice to the other citrus juices.

More Sorbet and Ice Cream Recipes

• Frosty Lime Sherbet
• Vegan Berry Swirl Ice Cream
• Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt
• Classic Berry Swirl Ice Cream

 

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