You probably guessed this was coming, but I am once again [1] obsessing over cranberries. This time in the form of sorbet. Last year I created a sorbet [2] based on my favorite Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe [3] and this year I found a recipe that combines tart cranberries with smooth vanilla into one delicious frozen treat.
Your first bite of this sorbet is smooth and vanilla but as it settles on your tongue you get the sweet and tangy punch of cranberry. They are really great together, which I should probably have already known after the coffee cake [4]. This could be a refreshing and cool finish to your Thanksgiving feast.
Cranberry and Vanilla Bean Sorbet (adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2009)
- 1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Combine cranberries, water, sugar and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Scrape in seeds of the vanilla bean. Add bean to mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries pop and are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Remove vanilla bean from cranberry mixture. Working in batches, puree cranberry mixture in belnder. Strain into a large bowl; discard solids. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate cranberry mixture until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Transfer to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.