COOK

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 2

COOK

with Elizabeth Sorbets

Sometimes on the menu of a formal dinner you encounter the word Sorbet, and I have been asked what it is. A sorbet is just a water ice, compounded of fruit syrups and very often flavoured with a liqueur. It is usually served in between savoury courses and its purpose is to cleanse the palate to give a better appreciation of the courses to follow. Less frequently it is used as an actual accompaniment to the poultry course and a red currant sorbet is served with duck, a cranberry sorbet is made to serve with turkey, or a delightful sour 1 apple and cider sorbet accom- 1 panies roast goose. The base of all sorbets is a sugar and water syrup with lemon juice or peel added, and they may be plain or have fresh fruit frozen into them. The points to remember are that water ices take longer to freeze than ice cream; that liqueurs should be added not more than about four tablespoons to a pint as too much will retard freezing; and that the sugar must be regulated as too little makes the ice rough and too much will prevent freezing. If desired the fruit syrup may be made from jam mixed with cold water, as in the blackcurrant sorbet given below; and aerated water or a sparkling cider may be used in place of plain water with sweetened fruit puree or jam syrup.

Mixed Fruit Sorbet: 1 pint water, 4oz loaf sugar, peeled rind of 1 lemon. i pint orange juice, 1 pint lemon juice, 1 cup any chopped fruit (strawberries, cherries, tinned pineapple, etc.) 1 liqueur glass any desired liqueur. Boil water, sugar and lemon rind gently for 10 minutes. Cool and add orange and lemon juices. Strain through muslin and partially freeze. Cut fruit into small dice and cover with the liqueur. When ice is nearly frozen, add the fruit and freeze together. Black Currant Sorbet: 4 tablespoons black currant jam, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pint cold water, 4 tablespoons kirch. Mix together and strain through a muslin. Freeze.

Orange And Lemon Sorbet: 1 pint water, Boz lump sugar, J pint orange juice, i pint lemon juice, whites of 2 eggs. Boil 1 pint of water and Boz lump sugar for 10 minutes, pour over the thinly peeled rinds of 2 oranges and 2 lemons and allow to cool. Stir in half a pint each of orange and lemon juice and strain through a muslin. Partially freeze. Whisk 2 egg whites until stiff and beat through the ice. Freeze.