Grapefruit Tarragon Sorbet (dairy free with vegan option)
Obviously, if you don’t love grapefruit, you will probably not be a fan of Grapefruit Tarragon Sorbet. I love grapefruit in all its bittersweet glory. But I’m always looking for new flavor combinations, so here we have tarragon joining the party. The grapefruit brings a tart sweetness plus bitterness, while the tarragon brings an herbal sweetness and a hint of anise. It’s an usual and delightful combination!
Sourcing your grapefruit juice…
I’ve made this recipe with fresh-squeezed juice and with bottled grapefruit juice (the kind with only juice — no extra sweetener or other ingredients). Though I prefer fresh-squeezed citrus whenever possible, I actually recommend that you buy bottled juice for this sorbet. I have 2 reasons for this: 1) unless you have a very good juicer, the juicing process for this many grapefruits is a pain, and 2) depending on the season and ripeness of the individual grapefruits, the taste and quality of the sorbet can vary. Make your life easier and buy the bottled stuff, just this once.
When I made this with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, I left in the pulp, thinking it would add an interesting textural element to the sorbet. Nope. You could barely tell it was there. One more reason you’re not missing anything if you go for the bottled stuff.
About the protein…
I typically use protein powder of one sort or another in my recipes to increase the protein and reduce the sugar, without sacrificing texture. (For more details on how that works, click here.) I also typically provide advice for swapping out the form of protein, in case you’d prefer to use a different type than the recipe calls for. In this case, you can’t make substitutions. This recipe calls for collagen, which works well in sorbets because it dissolves without changing the texture of the mixture. (This is why people put it in their morning coffee.) Other protein powders behave differently. However, if you want to omit the collagen, go ahead! The sorbet is vegan without it.
If you’re interested in other sorbet recipes (which are also vegan), check out Carrot-Ginger-Coconut Sorbet or Dark Chocolate Sorbet.
Grapefruit Tarragon Sorbet (dairy free with vegan option)
Makes ~1 quart
Ingredients
Instructions
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INFUSE THE TARRAGON AND DISSOLVE THE SUGAR
In a large sauce pan on the stove, whisk together the water, sugar, tarragon, and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as the mixture reaches a low simmer and the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat. Let the tarragon steep for 10 minutes.
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ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS AND BLEND
Add all the remaining ingredients (grapefruit juice, collagen, honey, and xanthan gum). Whisk everything together. Because the collagen might clump up, we need to use a standard blender or an immersion blender to get the mixture very smooth. This will also break up any larger pieces of tarragon.
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CHILL
Transfer to a container and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
For a quicker chilling time, place the bowl containing your mixture in an ice bath (a larger bowl containing ice water) for a few hours. Stir the mixture occasionally. As the water in the ice bath warms up, pour off some water and add ice to keep the mixture chilling as quickly as possible.
Ideally, the mixture will be about 40 degrees when you churn it.
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CHURN
Before you start churning, set up everything you'll need to quickly transfer the sorbet from the machine into a container for freezing. I use a knife to scrape down the dasher (or paddle) and a wooden spoon to scoop out the sorbet.
Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Scoop your mixture into the ice cream maker and churn. In my machine the perfect churning time is 23 minutes, but your experience may vary.
It's finished churning when it looks like the consistency of soft-serve and is pulling away from the sides of the canister.
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STORE
When the sorbet has finished churning, scoop it as quickly as possible into your storage container. Cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, if using. (Placing a sheet of parchment paper between the container and lid will help prevent frost, or you can press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sorbet.) Put the container in the freezer. The sorbet will be fully firm in a few hours.
Note
Optional additions:
- 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol -- Adding alcohol improves the texture and scoopability of the final product and gives a little kick of extra flavor. Gin, rum, or tequila would be good choices.
Recommended equipment (may contain affiliate links):
- My ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Newer version of my ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Well-reviewed less expensive ice cream maker (1.5 qt)
- Insulated ice cream container
- Heat-proof spatula
- Immersion/hand blender
- Ice cream scoop
Recommended ingredients (may contain affiliate links):