Sherbet, sure bet!

I'm a bit on an ice cream kick now. I had read in Forever Summer recently how with ice cream making, it is possible to create the most unusual flavors -- flavors that would be hard to find in even the poshest gelaterias.

Summer is here, unofficially, and I was really in the mood to use the sweetest of fruits for my own homemade sherbet. Mangoes fit the bill! The recipe in the Kitchenaid ice cream maker manual looked quite tasty - Minted Mango Sherbet. Yum. Mangoes! Mint! Mmmmm!

I don't often buy mangoes, and I really don't know why. They are amazing! I have to admit I am not that great at peeling and chopping them, but I guess I just need practice and a bit of an Internet read beforehand. By the time I was done chopping the mangoes, it looked like a bit of a mushy orange slaughterhouse on my countertop.

The mangoes were chopped and added to a food processor along with some lime juice to get a lovely mushy pulp. This was added to heated milk and sugar, and along with some chopped mint leaves, this was the 'batter' for the sherbet.

This is allowed to chill, and then is put in an ice cream maker in the usual way. A few hours later - sherbet!

I did rush it a bit, and actually put the ice cream maker in freezer the same time I put the batter in the fridge to chill, so I don't think the maker got the time it needed to get really frozen. So, my soft serve was softer than usual, and since the maker was melting in the process, I didn't think more churning time would help. But, the final result was the perfect consistency.... The sherbet was delicious. Sweet and lovely with hits of mint that were refreshing and quite welcomed. The sherbet could have been a tad bit less sweet to my taste, as my mangoes were super ripe and quite sweet to begin with. Next time, I would reduce the sugar by half, and that will give the lime juice its deserved place in this sherbet, which I think should always be a tad bit on the tart side.

For those interested, here is the recipe:

Minted Mango Sherbet

1 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk
1⁄4 cup light corn syrup {I used golden syrup}
3 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, if desired

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, and corn
syrup. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until
very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; set aside.
Place mangoes and lime juice in food processor
work bowl; use the multipurpose blade to process
until smooth. Add mango mixture and mint to milk
mixture. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours.
Churn in an ice cream maker for 7 to 12 minutes or

until desired consistency. Immediately transfer

sherbet into serving dishes, or freeze in an
airtight container.

Yield: 14 servings (1⁄2 cup per serving).

For those interested in all Kitchenaid ice cream recipes, click here for the manual and suggested recipes.