Pomegranate Sorbet

Name: Pomegranate Sorbet
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Sardinian, Italian
Ingredients: 2 pomegranates; 1½ tablespoons strained lemon juice; ⅓ cup castor sugar; ⅓ cup water; 1 teaspoon liquid glucose; 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

I love this Italian pomegranate sorbet – and the Italian name for pomegranates, melograno meaning ‘many seeds’. It’s so appropriate for this jewel-like fruit. This simple pomegranate sorbetto, with its balanced sweet/sour flavour from the pomegranate juice, lemon and pomegranate molasses, is inspired by my friend Giovanni Pilu. Giovanni taught me that using glucose syrup in sorbets and ice creams ensures a wonderfully smooth texture.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pomegranates
1½ tablespoons strained lemon juice
⅓ cup castor sugar
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon liquid glucose
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

Method

Cut pomegranates in half.
Hold each half over a bowl, squeeze to loosen the seeds then tap the skin with a spoon to dislodge them; I find it easiest to do this into my cupped hand over the bowl to limit the amount of pomegranate juice that splatters around.
Use a small spoon or your fingers to extract any remaining seeds, avoiding as much of the membrane as possible.
Place seeds and juice in a blender with lemon juice and process until well combined.
Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Add sugar, water, glucose and pomegranate molasses and whisk until sugar dissolves.
Churn in an ice cream machine, transfer to a container, press a sheet of baking paper on the surface, cover and freeze until needed.