Recipe: Blackberry and Champagne sorbet

[Chris Singer]

Now that the season of mellow fruitfulness is upon us, it seemed to be a good idea to use the natural bounty to good effect!

Serves 6

200ml water
150ml caster sugar
3 cups blackberries
Juice of half lemon
120ml Champagne
1 egg white (whisked)

Combine the water and sugar into a syrup, cool and then chill
Blanche the berries in a little sugared water for literally one or two mins
Puree and sieve the berries
Add the Champagne to the puree, whilst taking a good swig of the remainder
Stir in the syrup and lemon juice
If you have an ice cream maker, as per instructions or if not, place in freezer in a container and whisk regularly to break up the ice crystals. When the mixture is thick and slushy, whisk in the egg white.

Not all sorbet recipes use the egg white - I find in fruit recipes it firms and binds the sorbet.

Serve in shot glasses

[Stuart Fowles]

Hi Chris like the recipe

[Vanessa Chadwick]

Wow I'm liking this alot - its my missing link!
I'm going to use this as part of a "Blackberry Celebration" - a plate of three blackberry dishes - a mini apple and blackberry crumble, a blackberry mousse and this gorgeous sorbet. Thank you!

[Chris Singer]

How did the blackberry celebration go? I have made two lots of this sorbet now and am only saddened that the end has come for this season of fruit! :(

[Vanessa Chadwick]

Hi...I made in total 30 "celebrations" and sold them all within 3 days...some going even by our standards. My next thing is Apples......so doing an Apple and Ginger Mini Crumble, an Apple & Calvados Sorbet and a mini Apple Strudel (really cute but fiddly) served on a long rectangular plate.

Going well - good way to use the windfalls....and helps the margin along!!

[Dan Whiter]

I did a fantastic blackberry sauce recently. Put a tbsp of balsamic vinegar to the pan, 150ml of beef stock, couple of blobs of redcurrant jelly, a little garlic. Stir over a strong heat then add about 85g or so of blackberries. When they've released their juices, reduce to taste. I added a good slosh of red wine, but I think it could even take a splash of port. Fantastic with a piece of venison!

[Anicca O'Nions]

sounds delicious!