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chocolate sorbet sherbet ice cream recipe

For those of you wondering what the difference between ‘sorbet’ and ‘sherbet’ is, technically a sorbet has no dairy or eggs in it, and sherbet is usually made with milk or may have egg whites. If you’re avoiding milk, you could use a non-dairy alternative, such as rice, coconut, almond, or soy milk. Or if you prefer, you can water in place of the milk to make Chocolate Sorbet.

chocolate sherbet

I’m a big fan of full-flavored sherbets such as this because it’s much more refreshing in the summer than a full-on scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream. I refer to scoops this size as “European-style”โ€”since it’s so intense, one modest scoop is big enough on flavor to satisfy my craving for chocolate. And anyone who has walked away from Berthillon in Paris, wondering if they really meant to you that much (or actually, that little) sorbet or ice cream, one lick is usually all it takes to realize that it’s enough.

Another reason I’m particularly-interested in lighter fare right now is that I just bought a couple of pairs of pants at les soldes (the sales) this week and no matter how much tugging and yanking I did, I realized that I had to do at the French department store, Men’s-Department Walk of Shame, and go from the dressing room back to the rack, to grab the next size. Yes, looking good is extremely important here, but to me, breathing isn’t optional.

While I’m confident that the two pairs that didn’t quite fit were both mis-marked, I’m taking a breather from rich desserts for awhile. But I’m not ready to give up chocolate.ย Let’s not get that crazy.

chocolate sherbet

Chocolate Sorbet

Recipe adapted fromย The Perfect Scoopย 
Technically the recipe below is a sherbet since there's milk, but it sounds more appealing to use the wordย sorbet. So feel free to use either water or milk. You can use eitherย Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder, using a brand that you like. (I likeย Valrhonaย Dutch-process cocoa but any brand will do.) Since much of the flavor depends on the quality of the cocoa powder, use a top-quality brand that you like. A little shot of coffee-flavored liqueur augments the taste and gives the sherbet a more scoop-able texture. Feel free to use another liqueur, or omit it. If you donโ€™t have an ice cream maker, check out my post:ย How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine.
  • 2 1/4 cups (550ml) milk or water, (you can use whole, low, or non-fat)
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • optional: 2 tablespoons coffee-flavoured liqueur, such as Kahluร 
  • In a medium-sized saucepan, warm 1 1/4 cups of the milk or water with the sugar, salt, and cocoa powder.
  • Bring to a full boil while whisking, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 seconds.
  • Remove from heat and add the chocolate, the vanilla, and the coffee-flavored liqueur, if using. Stir in the remaining 1 cup milk.
  • Taste, and if the mixture is a bit grainy, puree it in a blender to smooth it out.
  • Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturerโ€™s instructions.

Notes

Note: This would likely work with non-dairy milk, but be sure to use one that can stand up to being boiled.

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84 comments

    • Michael Procopio

    Okay. Deborah Kwan just gave me a box of Valrhona cocoa powder that I’ve been wondering what to do with. I’m going to give this a shot.

    P.S. So is a yogurt sorbet still a sorbet, or is it really a sherbet?

    • David

    Hi Michael: If it’s made with soy yogurt, it’s technically a sorbet. If it’s made with dairy, it’s a sherbet.

    But since Yogurt “Sherbet” sounds funny, (or like the French say, “C’est pas jolie”, “It’s not beautiful”…which is used to justify quirks in the language), sorbet seems to be frequently-used.

    • Celia

    Had to check in to see if your tweet was serious.. :)

    Have printed this out and will give it a go with some Callebaut Dutch Process cocoa. I have to say, though, that we’re still in chocolate overload from the hot chocolate recipe in The Sweet Life. I now start each morning with a demitasse of hot chocolate – I tell myself it’s a restorative tonic. I tried to convince myself it was a complete breakfast (a little dairy, a little dark chocolate, a bit of protein), but my stomach refuses to be persuaded. Add that to the 70% “Ironic Freddos” we’ve been making (using the tempering technique from The Great Book of Chocolate) and there aren’t really many calories left in the day for non-chocolate food groups.

    • Marlowe

    Mmmmmm, perfect for this warm weather. Summer is finally here! Good luck with your visa stuff, they do everything they can to discourage you and wear you down (like changing the list of documents you need to bring at the last minute – surprise!), but it’s worth it … I would think you might be able to apply for a carte de rรฉsident some time soon (usually after three consecutive years of one-year visas)?

    • Kerrin @ MyKugelhopf

    No chocolate for you ? Yeah, that made me giggle. Phew, you would have scared a LOT of your readers. This looks fantastic – and pretty cool that the recipe would work with whole milk and skim too. I love the liqueur addition – kahlua would be my first choice, but I’ve got some African Amarula, which could be fun to play with too…

    But alas, no ice cream maker here (with the right voltage that is) to actually play. Another recipe of yours for the To Make list that’s just not happening….. yet. Zut.

    • Celia

    I’ve just made this and it’s cooling in the fridge. It begs the question – why freeze this when you can just drink it? It was soooo good hot that I nearly did just that…

    • Rosa

    Thanks for the info. This sherbet sure looks delicious! I’m keeping that recipe…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    • krysalia

    interresting ! I did not know that there was three names for sorbet/sherbet/ice cream food. I only remember two in french : sorbet (no cream, no dairy, especially fruit-y preparations), and ice cream (with any dairy, even when there’s also some fruits). Do you know if the name sherbet or something close exists in french too ?

    about the quirks in the language, this is pretty close but if I may : what’s told to children is to recognize if “รงa fait beau“, ou “รงa ne fait pas beau“. C’est pas joli is more often used to say that the words aren’t pretty at all :) (sh*it, what the f*ck etc).

    for example, a mother would say to her child working on the french lessons : look at what you wrote here, une voiturre with two r, รงa ne fait pas beau !. And then if the boy says “ah oui, merde !“, she would promptly say “hey, don’t tell this kind of words ! c’est pas joli ! ” :D.

    • adrian

    david, i can’t wait to try this. this or your simple and fast recipe for chocolate ice cream. by the way, i came across this while looking for valrhona chocolate for baking: http://www.coeurdeguanaja.com/
    you’ve probably seen it already. it’s supposed to be intensely chocolatey. have you used it before?

    • David

    Hi Adrian: When I was at their chocolate school, we did use the Coeur de Guanaja. It’s a specially-formulated chocolate and they developed certain recipes to use it in. (They told me it’s not interchangable with other high-percentage chocolates, due to it’s formulation.) It was very intense…and good!

    Krysalia: I’m not one to argue with a French person–although I’m not bad at I’m getting better at it ; ) but Romain always says “pas jolie” when I bring up language irregularities.

    Luckily I’ve never said anything pas jolie, although I have said a few things that were pas beau.

    • Bernadette

    Thank you for posting this David! It’s plenty hot in France in the summer, correct? I say fiind a pair of stretchy shorts and eat what you want. Save the pants for fall!

    • Abigail

    Have you tried the chocolate from the Grenada Chocolate Company? It’s organically grown on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean and their dark chocolate bars are superb. I’m in love with the 71% bittersweet bar and I’ve found out from their website that they produce a cocoa powder that I’m dying to try. It’s as good as any chocolate I’ve ever tasted. And sustainably grown and produced to boot. Definitely worth searching out.

    • krysalia

    david> ah ! I’m sure that romain says it like you said. it’s probably some regional differences. “รงa ne fait pas beau” is what I was told at school here in the north, and what I used to say to my students. I’ve always thought it as a general way to say (confirmed by the fact I know some people from other regions who were told the same) but in france there’s always slight twists in the language in a place or another, that coexist.

    (some say that the “real” french language without accent, the “dictionnary french”, is from the city of Tours. I tend to think that the “real” french IS the happy bunch of all regional singularities instead โ™ฅ . )

    • krysalia

    but about sherbet, if I may, do you know if there’s such a way to sort ice creams in france, of if we have here only sorbet and crรจme glacรฉe ?

    • foodcreate

    Outstanding Tasty ! Sherbet I love the ingredients ! Something to think about for my Sunday Brunch~

    Thanks for sharing your Sherbet Recipe~

    Have A Great Monday~

    • Radka

    David,
    Thank you for another delicious and straightforward recipe. This is perfect for the hot and humid weather we have in Santiago (DR). I am going to try it, although I don’t have an ice cream maker/machine. But I found your older post how to make ice cream without one.
    I also wanted to let you know I made mini chocolate yoghurt cakes over the weekend, and my husband kept saying “wow, …wow, …wow, …wow….” Thanks a lot for helping me to shine ;-) Although I found the recipe on Deb’s Smitten Kitchen, I am planning to buy your new book when I am in the US in August. Congratulations to your new book! I hope the Signing was fun on Saturday.
    I love your posts and always crack myself reading your Twitter.
    Radka

    • Laura Flowers

    Oh oooooo ahhhh. Frozen chocolate goodness for breakfast is what I am now craving! If I keep stopping by I am soon going to have to do the department store walk of shame.

    ~Laura

    • tara

    So while it is 11:00 a.m. on a Monday morning after a multiple-celebration/indulgent barbecue weekend, as this has no cream I’m considering it good for me. And therefore a totally-necessary thing to make today. It’s for my health.

    • Marcia

    Thanks for the official chocolate sherbet recipe! I’ve been substituting a cup of milk for a cup of the water in your Perfect Scoop chocolate sorbet recipe. I make it with Valrhona cocoa and Trader Joe’s bittersweet Pound Plus chocolate. It’s my current favorite, with your Buttermilk Lemon Sherbet (made with Meyer lemons) a close second.

    • Phoo-D

    I made this recipe (I think it is the same one as in The Perfect Scoop) a month ago and it disappeared instantly when surprise guests stopped by. It was simple and so delicious! We served it in cappucino cups with additional chocolate liqueur drizzled over the sherbet, topped with a little whipped cream and dusted with chocolate powder for a faux cappucino look. Wonderful recipe!

    • Erin

    I am all over this recipe. It is going to be just the thing with this hot weather we are having. I am going to trying it with rice milk, I’ll let you know how it turns out.

    • Kate

    Again another recipe with perfect timing The mix is in the icecream maker and I’m off to the beach for a quick swim, with chocolate sorbet to look forward to afterwards. Thank you. Kate

    • Cookin’ Canuck

    Ah yes, the dressing room “walk of shame”. I know it well. I think that means it’s time for me to start fitting chocolate sorbet into my dessert repertoire.

    • Haley Hogan

    Haha.. loved this post! what a nice treat for summer.. and I am sure you look fabulous in any size jeans, David!

    xxo HH

    • Susan

    This looks great. I almost prefer iced cream without eggs..and this looks like some of the ice cream recipes I’ve seen. Maybe those recipe contributors were just in denial (intentionally or otherwise) that it was really sherbert so they wouldn’t feel deprived? Whatever. I’d like to make a sorbet out of your best chocolate sauce! Oh, baby!

    • j.cro

    If a person does not have an ice cream maker – can this be made the old fashioned way – by hand?

    • Janet

    I am also feelin the love of ice cream after my weekend indulgence into White Chocolate Ginger. Excellent. Well it was over 100 degrees here. Can you blame me?

    • Sara

    Perfect timing, I was just asked to make some home-made ice cream for 4th of July…I think sherbet will be close enough.

    • David

    For those of you who’ve asked, there is a link I posted at the end of the recipe to a post I did called Making Ice Cream Without a Machine which explains how to do it.

    • Anna

    Just made it too -so easy and super delicious (as the 7 yr old son said). Perfect for swelting Paris afternoon. Merci for the recette.

    • j.cro

    Thank you David!!

    • Emily

    The airs have been shimmering upwards of 100 F hereabouts so this is a welcome sight for me whose A/C went out last week. Will try to summon the strength to haul myself up from this pool of sweat to try it.

    Noticed that David was cited in this NYTimes travel article yesterday:
    Frugal Paris

    • Eralda

    Yay! Just yesterday someone asked me what the difference was between the two, and I answered the same way as you did. I feel like a rockstar! I know, it’s a bit over the top, but you have written a stellar ice cream book. The sherbet looks delicious and it is next on my list of recipes with which to torture my ice cream maker.

    • Sarah

    I’ve never had chocolate sherbet. Thanks to you I will remedy that asap.

    Recipe Question – Can I substitute a small shot of espresso for the Kahlua? I would omit it like you suggested but I don’t want to lose out on the intensity of flavor or the improved texture you mentioned. I’m just not a fan of coffee flavored liquor.

    About Berthillon, it’s not the size of the scoop that upsets me. It’s a perfectly reasonable portion. A far cry more sensible and enjoyable than the monster size ice cream scoops and treats for sale in the States. When I was a kid we often vacationed in Florida. In a town nearby there was an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe, Jaxson’s I think, it was a LONG time ago. As a five year old I was thrilled to see the scoops there were larger than my head. No joke, a two scoop cone was too heavy to hold in my youthful sun browned hands. And the multi scoop sundaes were served in giant dishes. There were sizzling sparklers and pitchers of hot fudge and caramel too! Perhaps the origin of “supersizing”?

    Back to Berthillon, the problem that I always encounter at Berthillon is that I don’t live nearby :-) Once I have waited patiently in line, unlike a true Parisian I now know for certain from your delightful book, I finally reach the coveted ice cream and sorbets and I am expected to make a singular selection? It’s like Sophie’s Choice for me in there!!! And since I am usually only in Paris every few years for a week or so, making a single selection seems beyond cruel.

    So call me a vulgar greedy American, but when I walk out of Berthillon I have two cones in my more mature / less sun kissed hands. And since they are perfectly petite I can hold both cones very well as I luxuriate in their excellence. Wild Strawberry, Chocolate w/ Nougat, Pistachio, Raspberry Sorbet, Mandarin Sorbet, Peach Sorbet, Slated Buttered Caramel Glacee etc….. imagine living back in SF with very limited access to Berthillon. What would you do? Maybe not you, because you make your own amazing ice cream on a regular basis ;-) But me, I’m no Meryl Streep. I simply cannot choose just one.

    • Sunshinemom

    I believe you like setting yourself up:). For us sherbet is just a fresh juice but I would take your version any time! I will try this with soymilk combined with cashews and get back. Thanks!

    • Maryann

    Mmmm this sounds delicious and so much more appetizing at the moment than ice cream (I can’t believe I just said that ::gasp::) I have been transformed into a lover of dark chocolate thanks to reading you The Great Book of Chocolate and I think I will make this with the Guittard cocoa powder I just got and my new favorite Lindt’s 90% Excellence bar. I was so surprised how subtle and mild this bar was for having such a high chocolate content but it is delicious!

    And I thank you, again, for informing me in The Great Book of Chocolate that it is Guittard that supplies See’s with their chocolate. Eating one of the bars I just bought was so nostalgic for me!

    • Ana

    “Yes, looking good is extremely important here, but to me, breathing isn’t optional.” LOL : )
    Great pictures; the last one is particularly decadent… Now knowing the difference between sorbet and sherbet, I will go to bed less “bรชte” tonight; thanks, David.

    • Marc @ NoRecipes

    This sounds so good. I love that the the chocolate isn’t diluted with cream or eggs. Will have to try this one soon.

    By the way, I was gifted a tub of Kinako Ice Cream and it is fantastic. It’s great on it’s own but even better as a sundae with red bean paste and matcha powder on top. I’ve also been eating with crรจme de marrons swirled in.

    • David

    Marc: Glad you liked the one! I had to toss that in since it’s so interesting.

    Sarah: Yes, it’s hard to figure out what to get at Berthillon. But in truth, by the time it’s my turn to order, I invariably get the same thing every time: glace caramel (regular caramel, not their salted butter caramel, which tastes odd to me) and chocolat. My pal Olivier wrote a pretty funny piece, giving a Parisians eye view of Berthillon.

    And yes, you could use espresso. The alcohol in the Kahluร  gives the sherbet a slightly-better texture, but it’s fine to omit it, or use something else in its place.

    Maryann: Sounds good. The only thing I might be concerned with is that high-percentage chocolate like that can be grainy. So be sure to blend it well to ensure the mixture is smooth.

    Emily: That was a nice article and I was glad he liked my suggestion. I like Matt’s articles, but some of those NYT folks are a tough crowd! ; )

    • MrsLavendula

    beautiful pictures! these make me crave for a cold chocolate dessert!
    thanx for clarifying the difference between sorbet and sherbet! i wouldnt have known! hahaha!

    • pam

    Wow! That looks so rich.

    I just grabbed some coconut water from the store on a whim. Any ice creamy ideas for it??

    • kayenne

    this is wicked stuff, david!

    i’ve bensdorp cocoa from callebaut, i think, and callebaut 60-40 dark chocolate in stock!

    i only wish i had coconut milk and coconut sugar on hand… ever had coconut milk ice cream? makes you feel like you’re on a tropical beach. and since i love sherbet more than regular ice cream on hot weather… this is perfect! hmm… my pantry also has kahlua, frangelico and hazelnut praline paste…

    and my sister is having her 18th birthday party in 3 weeks…

    i could kiss you!

    seriously.

    • Anna

    Don’t forget coconut milk as a real food, non-dairy “milk”. Actually, I sort of object to the term “milk” for soy, nut, and coconut steeped liquids. They are “juice” to me, not milk. In my food book, milk comes from mammary glands, but I know I’m over-ruled by food manufacturers and public opinion on that one.

    However it’s called, coconut milk and coconut cream make great ice cream for those who don’t use dairy foods. I use it all the time (even though I also use dairy foods). I make my own coconut milk, too, steeping freshly grated coconut or dried unsweetened coconut in warm milk, then pressing/squeezing the liquid out. Let the liquid sit so that the lighter coconut oil rises to the top and skim that off for coconut cream, too. I also keep my ice cream mixture raw, because a) I don’t want to wait for it to cool again, and b) I prefer raw yolks sometimes. My eggs are very fresh from a local woman who raises “backyard” chickens, so I trust their safety.

    I love sorbet, but never make it because without much fat or protein, it sends my blood glucose level sky high, then crashing when the insulin catches up. I need a high fat content if I am going to indulge in ice cream, because of blood sugar regulation issues. So when I make ice cream – I use lots of egg, lots of fat, and a very low sugar content out of necessity.

    • Mia Botcher

    I love this recipe, because I can make it with lactose free milk and be able to eat it my self :) thank you

    • jen

    Wow. I think you are my hero. This is *seriously* tasty stuff. For what it’s worth, I used 70% cacao dark chocolate, vanilla soy milk and since I didn’t have any coffee-flavored liquor, I used vodka and added a light shake of espresso granules.

    • Jessica

    I’ve now made about 8 recipes from The Perfect Scoop, but this one skyrocketed over them all to the top of the list, according to the kids and husband. Had to forcibly restrain my husband from getting seconds – I want to have more for all of us tomorrow!
    And while we love Berthillon, we followed your recommendation re Fenocchio, and are still dreaming of their caramel sale (assume the accent or it’s dirty) and their confiture de lait.

    • Gaby

    This looks so amazing… I need to make this right now! p.s. I made your Panna Cotta this evening (first time ever trying it) and it was so phenomenal!

    • Chris

    Yum. I made the chocolate sherbet yesterday with Bensdorp cocoa powder and Cacao Barry Extra Bitter Guayaquil chocolate and used orange Curacao liqueur since I’m not fond of coffee flavor. The sherbet is like a fudgesicle with just a hint of orange to it. Most excellent.

    • flory

    dear lord that looks good.

    can one make a sherbet/sorbet with carbonated water and have a fizzy sorbet/sherbet? does it work? a chocolate soda sorbet?

    • rachel

    just made this using almond milk, and I added a touch of almond extract- my friends loved it! great recipe

    • Ariana from Chicago

    This is great. Your chocolate sorbet was the first I made from the book. We loved it. I thought, hmmm, wonder what it would be like with some milk? ;)

    • Rebecca

    Works wonderfully with soy milk, though I cut the sugar back a touch since the soy milk I use is slightly sweetened. Big hit with lactose-intolerant friends, and (I never thought I’d say this) I prefer this sherbet to chocolate ice cream. It’s just…more chocolatey. I think I prefer it for the same reasons I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate.

    Final verdict: Yum.

    • ania

    I’ve made this ice cream and 2 persons in my family say it is not eatable, because it tastes like dark chocolate and 2 say that it is delicious, among them my 3 year old daughter that can never say no to a good dark chocolate. She is funny, all grandmas bring her milk chocolate and after she tastes it I always have to clean her tongue, it is so bleeee.

    But this recipe is great.

    • Julia M

    I just made the base. It tastes wonderful with Cacao Barry Extra Brut and Force Noir. Can’t wait to freeze it.

    Do you think it would make good popsicles? I imagine an upscale Fudgsicle.

    • Charlie in Baltimore

    I just made a batch of this in my trusty Donvier hand-crank job I got at the thrift store for $3. The sherbet was very good: nice chocolate flavor, not too rich. I was a tad worried because the batter did seem a bit grainy.

    Would it be a problem to put the batter in the blender right before putting it in the ice cream maker? I didn’t try it, but I’m curious.

    • David

    Charlie: In the recipe, in Step #4, I do advise tasting the batter and running it through the blender if it’s grainy. Some chocolates don’t melt as well as others.

    Julia: Yes, it would. You could reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup and/or use non-fat milk (or water) to make sure they freeze harder.

    Rebecca and Rachel: Thanks for reporting back and glad you liked it!

    Anna: I do use coconut milk in some recipes but since this has relatively small amount, you wouldn’t really get the flavor of coconut all that much. But you could definitely use it in place of the cow’s milk.

    • Kate

    I’ve just made this, using cocoa from my local Chocolate shop. I live in Belgium, so it’s veryvery nice cocoa. I used cote D’or 56% chocolate and a half spoon of powdered espresso.

    Amazing. Thank you for the recipe.

    • Kristofer

    Love the sherbet! I made a more decadent version by adding broken up pieces of your wonderful chocolate-almond buttercrunch toffee to my ice cream maker a few minutes before it was done. I know it kinda defeats the purpose of keeping things light, but oh my god what a combo!

    Regards,
    Kristofer

    Reykjavik,
    Iceland

    • Randy

    I made the goat cheese ice cream from Perfect Scoop and it’s one of my favorites now. Have you tried making it in the savory style, i.e., without sugar? I was having a “creative” (that can turn into “catastrophic”) moment and thought of serving it on top of a perfectly ripe sliced tomato with a chiffonade of basil and powdered olives (I found a recipe in a cooking magazine). I’ve eaten basil ice cream and tomato sorbet/granita, so I thought why not a savory chevre ice cream. Your thoughts? Yikes or yes?

    • Kristin

    Hi David,
    Made this last night and it was delicious! I even had a few spoonfuls for breakfast. I used cointreau instead of kahlua (which I didn’t have) and it was lovely!

    • Judy Konopka

    David,

    I made this ice cream with Soy Milk and hazelnut liquor instead of Kaluha. It was AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, it didn’t make enough. I’ll have to double the recipe because it will go FAST!!! Thanks!

    • David

    Randy: The problem with making that style of savory ice cream is the sugar in ice cream is necessary to keep it from freezing too hard. If you were to use something like a Pacojet, or to eat it right away, it would work.

    Judy: Thanks for the report. Glad to know it works with soy.

    mochachocolatarita: Looks great!

    • Johannes

    Wow, that looks great! I recently have bought 3 kg of Valrhona chocolate, and I’m sure some of that will turn into that lovely sherbet. But I’m asking myself what the job of the cocoa powder is? Is it really necessary or can it be substituted by some more chocolate?

    • David

    Johannes: I use cocoa powder because it adds chocolate flavor, but not a lot of extra ‘weight’, so to speak. If you want to experiment, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder is the equivalent to 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, so perhaps you can use that as a guideline for your experiments, making adjustments for any sugar if you’re using bittersweet chocolate.

    • Monika

    I just made the base for this.
    May I ask, why you only heat 1/2 of the milk at first and then add the rest later? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, David. I really have to get your ice cream book soon.

    • Nadia

    Thank you, thank you David!

    I got your ice cream book right before my one year old was diagnosed with severe milk protein allergy. Since I tried lots of alternative soy concoctions, which were not a success. Not for the baby, for her parents of course.

    This sherbet recipe works very well with soy-milk but also with hazelnut- and almond-milk. What’s more I can now make the sherbets from your book also.

    Oh and totally off topic, the baking soda and tinned tomatoes ? From your Twitter messages ? My grandmothers and mother all added baking soda to reduce the acidity in tomato dishes. I believe it does more than just buffering the acid, but they used it. And got it from my grandmother’s Escoffier cookbook too, so the habit must be French originally. Sadly my daughter is allergic to tomato too……

    • Janet

    Hi! I just wanted to tell you how much I love your recipe for chocolate sorbet (from The Perfect Scoop). I have made it twice and it is just downright decadent! Everyone that samples it asks for the recipe. Thanks for helping get me lots of raves!!!!

    • Lisa

    Hi David–
    I’m a huge fan, & have made more recipes from The Perfect Scoop than I’m willing to admit. I just wanted to thank you for the tips in this particular recipe, though, because MY HUSBAND CAN EAT IT. He has severe heart disease, & I’ve adapted many ice cream recipes to (more or less) meet his needs, but I think this is his favorite. It’s the alcohol that does the trick, I think–I’ve added it to sorbets, but never a dairy-based ice “cream.”
    Also, FWIW, he prefers it unblended. That slight graininess, when frozen, translates to a subtle texture that intensifies the chocolate experience–always a good thing.
    Now I’m going back to The Perfect Scoop to start dumping liquers into all my favorites . . .

    • PF

    Can the sherbet mixture get too cold before going into the freezing machine. My first batch was made with whole milk, bitter sweet chocolate, and exceptional. The second batch, a double recipe, was made with 2% milk, bittersweet and semisweet chocolate (50% each). It didn’t taste grainy so I didn’t blend it. After a 24 hour refrigeration in a metal mixing bowl it was starting to thicken up a bit – I stirred it before transferring to the machine. The final product was actually a bit grainy – I think I’ll go back to single batch with whole milk, and perhaps a bit of espresso powder for the third try. Thanks for the no egg yolk recipe.

    • C S

    woww…., Chocolate Sherbet sounds yummy!! I think it’s a great treat for summer! I haven’t taste anything like it..too delicious to avoid!I will try this soon..

    thanks for this great recipe!

    • darla

    Wow, Yes, this was delicious and perfect for satisfying my need for strong chocolate flavor without eating an entire pan of brownies. One scoop was definitely enough.

    And now I know that I need to add booze to all my homemade ice creams to keep them scoop-able. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

    Thanks again for a great recipe.
    –Darla

    • Amy I.

    Just made this delicious concoction to conquer a midnight chocolate craving… wasn’t paying attention and forgot to add the cocoa powder at the beginning, so it went in with the other chocolate and the vanilla. Was still phenomenal. Thanks!!

    • Julie

    Just checking in to say that I made this and… wow. So, so, so tasty. And I thought nothing could be more chocolatey and delicious than your chocolate sorbet from The Perfect Scoop. Was I ever wrong!

    And while I’m on the topic of how amazing the recipes from Perfect Scoop are, I’ve gotta share another story from this week. I came upon a huge quantity of mint in my grandma’s garden on Sunday. She told me to take as much of the “filthy weed” as I wanted. So I did… and it became stunningly refreshing mint ice cream with chocolate stracciatella drizzled throughout. My family and friends LOVE it! Thanks, David!

    • Bridget

    Hey Honey!!

    Thank you for a beautiful post!

    I liked it so much I’ve included in my salute to Chocolate post “12 Hot Ice Cream Recipes You Need to Try”

    I look forward to many other wonderful recipes.

    Love,
    Bridge.

    • Judy

    Hi David,

    I was wondering if you could give me your take on Van Houten Cocoa Powder? Have you tried it before and is it any good?

    Many thanks and ice cream love,
    Judy

    • Kris

    Just made this – stunningly good. I used homemade spiced 151 rum instead of Kahlua, half Van Houten cocoa (coincidentally) half Black Onyx cocoa, & Valrhona Guanaja chocolate.

    I doubt I’ll ever make chocolate ice cream again.

    • chris gilbey

    I made this yesterday for the second time.

    I used Blooker Cacao for the cocoa powder, and instead of Kahlua used Triple Sec. Absolutely stunning!

    Love this recipe…

    • Jessica

    David, what is the substitution for egg whites?

    Thanks,
    Jessica

    • Chris Gilbey

    David

    I have now made this recipe at least a dozen times.

    I have a twist on your recipe that is really sensational…

    1 Instead of Kahlua add 2 tablespoons of triple sec.
    2 Add 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped mandarin zest. (Make sure that you shave off any white pith before chopping).
    3. Make sure that you use 70% cocoa solids chocolate.

    It is truly sensational with the mandarin flavour, which is reinforced by the triple sec. One final luxury for me is that we have a mandarin tree which produces about 200 kg of mandarins a year and the zest from a fresh picked mandarin is all the more juicy!

    Regards

    Chris

    • BrideXIII

    Mon Dieu! Ok, I admit I slightly adapted this recipe, I hope you don’t mind? I had an egg white left over which I whisked up to a nice meringue-y texture and folded in at the half frozen stage, now this may have been a happy accident because the texture has come out like a frozen mousse, totally choc-eriffic.
    Thank you!

    • Charles

    David – I want to make a chocolate/port sorbet using a Pinot Noir Port Style from Oregon with your sorbet recipe. The wine has 18% alcohol. About what percentage of the water could I substitute with the wine and still be able to freeze it? I’m using the 1 quart recipe from Epicurious. Thanks

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Charles: Unfortunately I can’t tell you without testing it first. You can check out the post- Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream Softer, for some guidelines about adding alcohol to ice cream and sorbet bases, but those are just guidelines and you may have to make some adjustments. Good luck!

A

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