Strawberry rhubarb sorbet

This strawberry rhubarb sorbet is a delicious balance of the two flavors, with just enough sweetness and a touch of tartness. It's easy to make, smooth and as bright as it's beautiful color.

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I always liked sorbets, but I've definitely come to appreciate them more and more in recent years. It helps that my youngest is a big fan and will almost always go for a sorbet, especially mango, as one of his choices if we go out for ice cream.

When I first started making frozen treats at home, I tended to make no churn styles, as I didn't have an ice cream maker, so sorbets were trickier. But these days having an ice cream maker means sorbet is really easy with delicious results.

We love blackberry sorbet, for example, and Concord grape sorbet is one of our go-tos for our grape harvest later in the year. This spring-flavored sorbet is a delicious addition to the list that feels especially good on those early warmer days.

What makes sorbet a sorbet?

There are lots of different frozen treats around, and the distinction between some can be a little tricky. One of the main things that defines sorbet is it does not contain dairy. (OK, some do occasionally use some but it's not generally the case).

It's essentially a sweetened, flavored frozen water. The flavoring is often fruit or juice, but you can have other flavorings. But pretty much all are dairy free and vegan.

While you get other dairy-free frozen treats, they do have differences. Granitas like lemon granita generally have a coarser texture. Then there's shaved ice, where a flavored syrup is poured over finely shaven ice, often with other toppings too. Sorbets are typically churned so they are smoother in texture.

What is rhubarb?

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable but when it comes to cooking, it's often treated more like a fruit. The leaves are actually toxic and it's just the stems that are edible. Rhubarb is tart, so you often sweeten it as part of cooking, though you can use it in both sweet and savory dishes.

It's tart, bright flavor is delicious on it's own but also pairs well with a range of other flavors. Berries, in particular strawberry, are a classic pairing, delicious in strawberry rhubarb crisp and strawberry rhubarb jam, among other things. And it works so well in frozen form, too.

Ingredients and steps to make it

Part of what I love about sorbet is you don't need many ingredients. For this you simply need:

• Strawberries - use nicely ripe ones as they will taste better. Slightly overripe is fine, but underripe are not as sweet or flavorful. You could use frozen strawberries but I sometimes find the flavor is not quite as good.
• Rhubarb - use fresh rhubarb that's in good condition. If it's a little thick and looks old and dull, it may be dry and a bit woody.
• Sugar - while strawberries add a good amount of sweetness, freezing by nature dulls flavors so sweetening helps liven them up. You could use honey, if you prefer.
• Water - both fruits here release a decent amount of liquid so you don't need too much, just enough to help the texture.
• Lemon juice - adding a little extra acidity helps the flavors pop a bit more and lemon pairs well here.

You start by cooking the rhubarb as otherwise, you don't get that lovely silky texture. However that's easy to do as you just chop it up and warm it with the sugar and water for a few minutes and so make a syrup at the same time.

After cooking the rhubarb, let it cool slightly then blend the mixture up with the chopped, hulled strawberries to create your sorbet base.

You don't strictly have to, but I prefer to then strain it to remove as many of the tiny seeds that tend to not blend, and in case of any stray rhubarb strands. Then, chill your base so it's nicely cold before churning.

Do you need an ice cream maker?

It is possible to make this without an ice cream maker, using the method similar to granitas of freezing and mixing at regular intervals to break up the ice crystals. This can, however, leave it a little coarse. You can improve the texture by breaking it up with a food processor as it's getting close to being fully frozen. Then freeze a little longer to firm up.

However, if you have an ice cream maker, it's definitely easier and less to keep track off. You simply churn until it gets to a soft serve texture, then transfer to a container and freeze until completely frozen. The churn time will depend on your machine but typically takes around 20 minutes. Then, just a little more patience as it firms up in the freezer.

This strawberry rhubarb sorbet is a delicious mix of fruit flavors, with a lovely smooth texture and vibrant color. It's slightly tart, just the right level of sweet and one that was instantly loved by all in our house. Be sure to give it a try and enjoy!

Try these other frozen treats:

• Ginger ice cream (definitely another big favorite in our house, it has a fantastic flavor and rich creamy texture)
• Coffee granita (perfect for the coffee fans, it's packed with flavor and gently sweet)
• Raspberry sorbet - another deliciously bright, fruity sorbet with a wonderful flavor too.
• Chai ice cream - creamy and packed with the classic warm spice flavors.
• Plus get more spring recipes and dessert recipes in the archives.

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