Blackcurrant Leaf Sorbet
Use only young blackcurrant leaves - when the bushes begin to flower, they lose their powerful blackcurrant flavour. We also use this recipe to make an elderflower sorbet, substituting 4 or 5 elderflower heads in full bloom
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
25
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
3
MINUTES
Ingredients
2 large handfuls of young blackcurrant leaves
600ml cold water
185g sugar
juice of 3 lemons
1 egg white (optional)
Method
Crush the blackcurrant leaves tightly in your hand, put into a stainless steel saucepan with the cold water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Add the juice of 3 freshly squeezed lemons.
Strain and freeze for 20-25 minutes in an ice cream maker or sorbetière. Serve in chilled glasses or chilled china bowls or on pretty plates lined with fresh blackcurrant leaves.
Note: If you do not have a sorbetière, simply freeze the sorbet in a dish in the freezer, when it is semi-frozen, whisk until smooth and return to the freezer again. Whisk again when almost frozen and fold in one stiffly beaten egg white. Keep in the freezer until needed.
If you have access to a food processor. Freeze the sorbet completely in a tray, then break up and whizz for a few seconds in the processor, add 1 slightly beaten egg white, whizz and freeze again. Serve.
