Blackberry Sorbet

Blackberry sorbet, with its deep, rich purple and its striking, mouth-puckering tartness, makes for a beautiful finish to a nourishing supper.  And while some families may prefer to balance their tartness with a touch of honey, we prefer to serve this blackberry sorbet without added sweetener so the full flavor of the berries, including their lovely sourness can shine.

Indeed, even when sweetened by raw honey (a good source of the food enzyme amylase), a simple blackberry sorbet presents a charming alternative to commercially prepared ice creams and sherbets which often contain refined sugars and other unnatural additions.  At its most complex, this blackberry sorbet contains but three ingredients: blackberries, water and honey and can be prepared in about twenty minutes.  If you’re just learning to prepare nutrient-dense, whole foods in your kitchen – a simple berry sorbet is a great place to start.  It’s easy to prepare and offers a lovely flavor.

Berries grow well in the mountains, and in early August, our market overflows with raspberries and blackberries.  We purchase the fruits by the case – filling our bellies with the sweet, tart berries and staining our fingers a brilliant purple with their juice.   Later, having eaten our fill, we freeze the berries and they wait until the deep, dark days of winter when nothing grows and we all long for a taste of summer.  I pull them from the chest freezer and prepare this blackberry sorbet.

Blackberries are rich sources of micronutrients and, like all berries, a potent source of antioxidants.  Blackberries are remarkable source of manganese, a mineral required for bone development and skin health as well as vitamin K1.

The Recipe for Blackberry Sorbet

A decidedly tart finish to supper, our family prefers to prepare this wholesome, antioxidant-rich dessert without additional sweetener, appreciating, instead, the full flavor of local blackberries frozen at their height of ripeness.  For those of you who may prefer a little sweetness to balance out the potent, tart flavor of the blackberries, consider adding up to ¼ cup raw wildflower or orchard blossom honey.  This recipe was featured in March’s recipe cards, enter code MARCH25 at checkout for 25% off.

Ingredients for Blackberry Sorbet 

• 4 cups whole, frozen blackberries
• 2 to 3 tablespoons filtered water
• up to ¼ cup raw honey (optional)

Method for Preparing Blackberry Sorbet

1. Allow your frozen whole blackberries to thaw for about fifteen to twenty minutes.
2. After about twenty minutes, combine blackberry, filtered water and honey, if you’re using it, in a food processor.
3. Pulse repeatedly to break up the berries, then process until the sorbet is smooth.
4. Serve immediately, or, if the blackberry sorbet is too soft, pour it into a container and freeze it for a few hours – stirring periodically to break up any ice crystals that may form.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Try serving blackberry sorbet topped with fresh cream, crème fraîche or even plain yogurt and sprinkling of chopped fresh mint.

YIELD: 6 – 8 servings

TIME: 15 minutes (to thaw berries), 5 minutes (to process sorbet)

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