Fruit sorbets are absolutely delicious any time of the year. As they contain no dairy, they are perfect for those who are lactose intolerant and they highlight perfectly all of the natural flavors of the fruit being used. When fruits are in season and there is an abundance of goodness and it is the perfect time to make this cool and refreshing dessert. The summer months here in the Caribbean are synonymous with mango season and my two of my favorites are Haitian varieties: Franscique or Baptiste. The flavors are unmistakable with hints of light fragrant spice, while the flesh is meaty and perfect for eating or blending to make juice, ice cream or sorbets.

Sweet ripe mangoes are exactly what is needed for this sorbet. As there are few ingredients in the recipe, it is essential to use mangoes that are good quality and have a delicious flavor. It is also imperative not to use a variety of mango with a stringy texture as they will be very difficult to blend.

The addition of the alcohol is not absolutely necessary, but it does make the texture of the sorbet far smoother and helps to eliminate the iciness which can occur when freezing the sorbet. It is such a delight to have a few scoops of this fresh cool fruit dessert; especially on a hot summer’s day.

No worries if you don’t have an ice cream maker. I actually did not use one when making mine and it was perfect. If you have one, you can certainly use it to mix the ingredients together into a frozen treat. I hope that you enjoy this as much as I did.

Mango sorbet

Ingredients

3 ripe mangos, or about 3 1/2 – 4 cups chopped fruit

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 tbsp lime juice

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp vodka or rum or 2 tbsp light corn syrup

Method

Make a light syrup by heating the sugar, salt and water in a saucepan until the granules have dissolved.

Peel the mangos and cut the flesh into cubes.

Blend the mango cubes, simple syrup and lime juice together until smooth.

Stir in the vodka or rum and combine well. This will help your sorbet to freeze to the perfect consistency without shards of ice forming.

Strain the blended mango to eliminate any strings or unblended pieces.

Pour into a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Allow the plastic wrap to touch the top of the sorbet. This will prevent ice from forming on the surface.

Freeze overnight or at least 6 hours until firm.

You may also use an ice cream maker to process the mango sorbet.