Spiced Clementine Sherbet

When I was a kid my siblings and I spent spring vacation visiting our grandparents. We’d spend half the time with one set in Scotts Mills, OR and the other with the pair in Albany, OR, making the trade at the halfway point Lancaster Mall in Salem. I loved this little part of the trip. We would all meet for fish and chips at O’Callahan’s, shop at Montgomery Ward  and occasionally stop at the little ice cream stand for a little cup of orange or rainbow sherbet. I loved the creamy tang the sherbet provided, it was a special treat I looked forward to each time. I think I was about ten or eleven the last time we did this. My siblings were teenagers with boy girl parties to attend, hair to dye and prank calls to make. Its funny to think about that first transition from childhood towards adulthood now. Then it didn’t phase me, but now it seems so momentous.

Anyway, enough nostalgic examination of my childhood and back to the reason we are here; sherbet. Oddly enough, for something I loved and looked forward to so much as a kid, I haven’t touched sherbet in twenty years.

Phil, Barney and I love our clementines and always keep them around the house this time of year. We recently over bought and I wound up with several pathetic looking clementines on my kitchen counter, so I decided to juice them with the intention of making a spiced sorbet when I remembered about sherbet. So, I did a little research on the method, which is so spectacularly simple I can’t believe I’d never made it before, chose my ingredients and I was off and blending.

I love the gentle flavor of a clementine and it is out of this world when paired with a bit of luscious cream and a few complimentary spices make it perfect for the holiday. The texture is soft and fluffy, it is the down comforter of frozen treats. Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting and don’t forget to check back in a day or two for the next installment of The 2009 Endive Chronicles Holiday Bonanza!

Spiced Clementine Sherbet

2 1/2 cups Freshly Squeezed Clementine Juice

1 cup Superfine Sugar

6 Allspice Berries

6 Whole Cloves

1 Cinnamon stick

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Combine the juice, sugar and spices in a container and allow to meld overnight in the refrigerator.

After 24 hours, remove the cinnamon stick, 5 cloves and 5 allspice berries from the juice mixture, leaving 1 clove and berry. Place the mixture in your blender and process until the sugar is combined and spices well ground. Set up your ice cream maker. Add the cream to the blender and process with the juice mixture until frothy. Immediately process the mixture according to the manufacturers instructions. Do not let the mixture sit after you add the cream and before processing in the ice cream maker, it will curdle.

Freeze immediately, it is a soft mixture and will melt relatively quickly. Serve straight from the freezer, it will not need to sit out to soften.

Serves 10 daintily, 6 hungrily If you have guests with large appetites I recommend a double batch.

Note: Most sherbet recipes don’t have you combine the sugar and juice in advance, I just like to be extra thorough to insure the final product is not grainy.