Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds fresh ripe plums (8-10 medium plums)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste based on plum sweetness)
- ¾ cup water
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the plums: Wash the plums thoroughly, then cut them in half and remove the pits. Quarter each plum half. You don’t need to peel them – the skins will be strained out later and add beautiful color.
- Make the simple syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar completely dissolves (about 5 minutes). You’ll know it’s ready when the liquid is clear and no sugar granules remain. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Cook the plums: Add the quartered plums to the simple syrup in the saucepan. Return to medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums are very soft and breaking down. They should look jammy and smell incredibly fragrant.
- Blend until smooth: Carefully transfer the hot plum mixture to your blender. Add the lemon juice and salt. Blend on high speed for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and no chunks remain. The mixture will be bright and frothy.
- Strain for silky texture: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the blended plum mixture through the strainer, using a spatula or wooden spoon to press and push the puree through. This removes the skins and any remaining bits for a perfectly smooth sorbet. Discard the solids left in the strainer.
- Chill completely: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The mixture must be completely cold before churning – this is crucial for the best texture.
- Churn the sorbet (if using ice cream maker): Pour the chilled plum mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically 20-25 minutes. The sorbet should look thick and slushy, similar to soft-serve consistency.
- Freeze until firm: Transfer the churned sorbet to a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours until firm enough to scoop.
- Alternative method without ice cream maker: Pour the chilled mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container. Freeze for 45 minutes, then vigorously whisk or use a fork to break up ice crystals. Repeat this process every 30-45 minutes for 3-4 hours until the sorbet reaches the desired consistency. This method requires more effort but produces good results.
- Serve and enjoy: Let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping if it’s very hard. Scoop into bowls or cones and serve immediately.
Notes
- Ripeness matters: Using perfectly ripe plums is essential for the best flavor. They should smell sweet and yield slightly to gentle pressure.
- Sugar adjustment: Taste your cooked plum mixture before blending. If your plums are very sweet, reduce sugar to ½ cup. If they’re tart, increase to 1 cup.
- Smooth texture secret: Don’t skip the straining step! It’s what gives your sorbet that professional, velvety texture.
- Storage: Sorbet can become very hard in the freezer. If too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or pulse in a food processor briefly to make it scoopable again.
- Corn syrup option: For an even smoother texture that’s easier to scoop, replace 2 tablespoons of water with light corn syrup. This is a professional technique that reduces ice crystal formation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: French-inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅔ cup (approximately 4 oz)
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1.2g
- Protein: 0.7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg