Blackberry Lime Sorbet
Blackberry lime sorbet is a sweet and tangy treat that you will want stocked in your freezer all summer long. Made with fresh or frozen Oregon blackberries, this smooth and creamy sorbet is only five ingredients and no dairy. With instructions for both a churn and a no-churn version, this post covers all you need to know about making homemade fruit sorbet from scratch.
Thank you Oregon Berries for sponsoring today’s post. To learn more, check out their website at Oregon Berries.
Here in Oregon it’s not really summer until the blackberries are dripping from the canes. As beautiful as they are delicious, they appear everywhere from grocery stores to farmer’s markets to my own backyard. Often I have more than I can use and this blackberry lime sorbet is one of my most favorite ways to use them up at their peak ripeness.
The problem is that blackberry season is kind of short, and I don’t always want to wait until the middle of summer to indulge in my favorite summertime dessert recipes. Thankfully, my old faithful friend, the frozen blackberry, is around all year long and works perfectly to make this sweet treat any time I want it.
While I love my more complicated blackberry treats, like my blackberry crumble pie or Instant Pot friendly blackberry white chocolate pots de creme, when it comes to treats I want to enjoy on a summer day, you cannot beat the simplicity of blackberry lime sorbet.
Read on to learn how to make it with or without an ice cream churn, how to prevent yours from turning into a rock, and how to fix it if it does happen. It’s not quick to make, but it doesn’t require much hands-on time to get it done right.
Oregon Grows the BEST Blackberries
Before we dive into the recipe, I want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to Oregon Berries for sponsoring today’s post. When I say that Oregon grows the best blackberries, I’m being 100% honest. In fact, our blackberries are so good that they make up 90% of the blackberries you’ll find in grocery store freezer sections across the country.
Why are they so good? It’s partly the rich, fertile soil and partly the climate. When it comes to the berries you find in stores, it’s because they are picked at the absolute peak of ripeness and frozen to lock in their sweet berry goodness. That means the berries I find in my freezer section are the same ones in yours. Next time you’re on a grocery run, don’t forget the blackberries!
Making Blackberry Lime Fruit Sorbet
Making fruit sorbet at home is a pretty simple task. You’ll need a blender or food processor to puree the fruit, a sieve to strain the pulp and remove the seeds, a small pot for making the simple syrup, and a freezer safe pan for freezing and storage.
Beyond that, your tools change depending on which method you choose to use for processing the sorbet: churn or no-churn. They both have their benefits, but at the end of the day both will produce a smooth and creamy sorbet.
Pureeing the Blackberries
No matter what kind of sorbet you are making, you must start by pureeing the fruit. Blackberry lime sorbet can be made with fresh or frozen blackberries. Add the blackberries and water to your blender and run it on high to get the smoothest results.
If you have a powerful blender and are using frozen berries you don’t need to thaw them completely, but can use warm water to help jumpstart the partial thawing. Working with cold or partially frozen berries will reduce your chill time before processing.
After you’ve pureed your berries you will probably notice that the texture of the frozen puree is similar to a completed sorbet. Don’t be tempted to stop there! Yes, there are recipes for 1-ingredient fruit sorbets out there, but one taste of this “sorbet” and you’ll be picking blackberry seeds from your teeth for hours. Which leads me to step 2.
Straining the Seeds
Once you have your blackberries are pureed, you’ve got to remove the seeds. A large sieve and a silicone or wooden spoon will get the job done fairly quickly. Place the sieve over a large bowl (or a large liquid measuring cup) and pour in the blackberry puree. Use the back of the spoon to press as much of the puree through the sieve as possible.
Pro Tip: After you’ve pressed the berries through, grab a clean spoon to wipe the excess off the outside of the sieve.
Lime Simple Syrup & Corn Syrup
You’ll notice that this recipe calls for both a lime simple syrup and corn syrup. Trust me on this one! The simple syrup is a combination of water, sugar, lime zest and juice. The heat from making it on the stovetop helps to draw the lime flavors out of the zest. Once the lime simple syrup is made, add the corn syrup.
While corn syrup has a bad wrap in some circles, this isn’t one of them. The thick viscous texture of the corn syrup is what gives your sorbet that smooth creamy texture. Without it your sorbet will be like a rock straight out of the freezer and feel like frozen fruit crystals when you go to eat it. It is yet another reason that unless you are making a single serving to eat immediately, 1-ingredient sorbets don’t work.
No-churn Method
No ice cream maker? No problem! To make homemade sorbet without an ice cream churn is simple. Pour the sorbet mixture into a freezer safe pan that is cold conductive. A metal 9″ x 5″ loaf pan is ideal. Stick it in the freezer and set a timer for one hour. Stir the sorbet, making sure to break up the lumps and chunks, and scrape the corners. Repeat this at least a total of three times, then let it freeze 6 – 8 hours to firm up.
This method is great for those of you who aren’t ready to invest in an ice cream maker. The drawback is mainly that the final product is more dense, resulting in less sorbet for your effort. The no-churn method resulted in about 4 cups of sorbet, while the churn method yielded 5 1/2 cups of sorbet.
Another drawback is that you have to be around for at least three hours to manually stir the sorbet as it freezes. If you forget, you run the risk of having a solid block of frozen fruit puree. If this happens, let it thaw just enough to break it up. Put it in the blender to smooth it out, then freeze it again. You’ll need to repeat the stirring step again at least once more after an hour, but it will save your sorbet.
Ice Cream Churn Method
If you do have an ice cream maker, I recommend using it. Mine is the attachment piece for my KitchenAid mixer. I store it in my freezer, so it’s ready to go when the craving for homemade sorbet (or ice cream) strikes.
An ice cream maker is going to do the churning work for you. It incorporates air as it lowers the temperature, giving you lighter, creamier results. My side by side comparison shows that the churned sorbet has a third extra volume compared to the no-churn version.
Follow the directions for the ice cream churn you own. Once it’s done, the texture of the sorbet is similar to soft serve and can be eaten right away or placed into a conductive, freezer safe container (a 9″ by 5″ loaf pan) and frozen for 6 – 8 hours until it firms up.
The drawback to using an ice cream maker is mainly the expense of buying one and finding room to store it. It’s also one more piece of equipment to clean.
Blackberry Lime Sorbet Recipe
Blackberry lime sorbet is a five-ingredient treat made from fresh or frozen Oregon blackberries. Whether you are looking for a no-churn sorbet or choose to use an ice cream maker, the results are smooth, creamy, sweet and tangy. The perfect light summer dessert to keep on hand all summer long.
Looking for more delicious blackberry treats to share with your family this summer? Try my homemade wild blackberry muffins, blackberry lime tart, or go straight for the blackberry bourbon smash.
If you like this recipe, please give it a FIVE-STAR rating, leave a comment, and share it on your favorite social channel!
Blackberry Lime Sorbet
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 2/3 cups water (divided)
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 4 tsp lime juice
Instructions
- Make Sorbet Base
- Place berries and 1 cup of water in a blender and puree on high until smooth.
- Strain pureed berries to remove seeds.
- In a small saucepan combine together remaining 2/3 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, lime juice, and lime zest. Heat to just boiling then allow to cool.
- Add sugars to the pureed berries and stir to incorporate.
- Chill mixture completely in the fridge.
- Churn Method
- Once chilled, follow the instructions given by the ice cream churn’s manufacture.
- Serve immediately as soft serve or move sorbet into a freezer safe, conductive pan – a metal 9" x 5" loaf pan is ideal – and freeze 6 – 8 hours until firm.
- No-churn Method
- Pour chilled sorbet base into a freezer safe, conductive pan – a metal 9" x 5" loaf pan is ideal.
- Freeze for one hour, then stir the mixture being careful to break up any chunks and scrape out the corners. Return the pan to the freezer.
- Repeat step 2 a minimum of two more times, freezing and stirring at least three times total.
- Serve immediately as soft serve or freeze 6 – 8 hours until firm.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
This sorbet was very easy to make and absolutely delicious. I didn’t add any water to the berries; just straight seedless berry puree (2 cups). My Cuisinart ice cream maker whipped it up beautifully!
Hi Renee,
this sorbet recipe is great, foolproof so-to-say. So far I made it with mango, strawberries, mixed red berries, and blueberries – orange and lemon versions are pending. Each time a success! Using the no-churn method, I stirred it a minimum of six times and when processing it in the food processor for pre-serve freezing, I added one raw egg white during the process. The consistency and taste are always great and never too sweet. Thank you for sharing!
Frank
I’m so glad it has brought you such success!