It may seem a little odd that we’re enjoying a frozen treat while parts of the country are still getting snow (like my hometown). Cruel even. But besides torturing you with accounts of our 75-degree weather, there is a perfectly good reason for this timing. It’s the end of citrus season, and the last of the oranges need to be picked and eaten. Greg and I are happy to oblige; this orange sherbet recipe was fantastic!
And think of it this way—how ridiculously cute would tiny lime peels and bite-size scoops of lime sherbet look at your St. Paddy’s Day party? So, so cute.
Orange Sherbet
Adapted from Alton Brown
Supplies
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold skim milk
1/2 cup cold cream
Peels for serving, if desired
1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients except the milk and blend until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1 minute.
2. Whisk in the milk.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator (I put the whole pitcher in the fridge, but you could transfer it to a bowl) until the mixture reaches 40 degrees F or below, approximately 1 hour.
4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
5. Meanwhile, scoop the last remaining pulp out of a few orange peels.
6. Scoop sherbet into orange peel bowls to serve, or transfer to a lidded container and place in freezer until firm, approximately three hours.
It really was extraordinarily good!