Sorbet Recipe

Make sugar syrup

Combine 2 cups water, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons glucose or corn syrup (if using) and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes to fully integrate, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes). Chill in the refrigerator if needed until cold.

Cook or thaw fruit (if using frozen or firm fruit)

If using frozen fruit or very firm fruits (like firm peaches), place them in a saucepan with 2–3 tablespoons water and warm gently until softened (3–5 minutes). For delicate berries or ripe mango, no cooking is necessary.

Purée

Place 4 cups prepared fruit (hulled berries, chopped mango, cooked/chilled stone fruit, or strained citrus juice and zest) in a blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Blend until very smooth, about 1–2 minutes.

Strain (optional)

For an ultra-smooth sorbet, press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds, fibers, or peel. Use a spatula to help push it through; discard solids.

Taste the strained purée. If it tastes too tart, stir in up to 2 tablespoons additional simple syrup or sugar until balanced. If very sweet, add a little more lemon juice. Stir in the chilled sugar syrup gradually (start with half) until you reach the desired intensity and sweetness—final mixture should taste bright and slightly sweeter than you want because freezing mutes sweetness. If using, stir in 1 tablespoon alcohol to help keep the sorbet scoopable.

Measure final volume: you should have roughly 4 to 5 cups of combined liquid. Chill the combined mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

Churn in an ice cream maker

Pour the cold sorbet base into a chilled ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve texture, typically 20–30 minutes.

No ice cream maker method

Pour the base into a shallow metal or glass container and place in the freezer. After 30–40 minutes, when edges begin to freeze, vigorously whisk or use a fork to break up ice crystals. Repeat whisking every 30 minutes for 2–3 hours until uniformly frozen and smooth.

Firming

Transfer churned sorbet to an airtight container, smooth the top, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crust, and freeze for 2–4 hours to firm up before serving.

To serve, let sorbet sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly for easy scooping. Scoop with a warmed ice cream scoop for neat balls. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks; for longer storage, texture may degrade.