blackberry and mint sorbet

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Our blackberries are beginning to fruit, and before I start into the real jam season, I love to play around with desserts.  Crumbles obviously are high on the list, blackberry and apple, or blackberry with other red fruit  YUMM....

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 But this year, I wanted to be a little braver and have started making the most wonderful black berry and mint sorbet.  This has been devoured here several times over the last fortnight, but each time I forgot or missed the moment for pictures, so these shots are borrowed from Google. (thank you!)

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To make enough sorbet for 6 people, I first freeze about 6 cups of fresh blackberries.

Then I make a light syrup using 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water.    I drop a couple of handfuls of fresh mint into the pan containing the sugar and water, and bring everything to a boil.  As soon as it boils, I turn off the heat and let the syrup cool down.  This step could easily be done the day before.

I am also informed that lavender works very well in the place of mint.

When ready I strain out the mint leaves and pour the delicious smelling syrup into a shallow tray, and pop it in to the freezer.

The next step depends on whether you have an ice cream maker, and also how smooth a texture you wish the sorbet to be.

 For a reason I have yet to understand, I do not have an ice cream or sorbet machine. 

 I am also happy to have a little fruit texture in the sorbet.

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I therefore pop the frozen berries and almost frozen syrup into a blender and whizz away for a few minutes.  When I think it is blended enough, I pour the mix into a deep tray and return to the deep freeze.  Every 30 minutes I remove the tray and stir it well with a large spoon.  After four stirs I declare my sorbet 'done' and leave it in peace in the deep freeze until we are ready to scoop out tasteful little balls of sorbet into tiny bowls.  Add a couple of fresh berries for decoration, and a snippet from a passing mint leaf and I am in business.

I'm telling you: this is a breeze, and  -  providing nobody spills sorbet down their new white linen trousers (let's not go there !)  -  it is a dessert that is generally acclaimed by all and sundry.

One day, when I grow up, I shall attempt this rather wonderful looking swirly combination of blackberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream, and that really would impress!

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