Ginger Plum Sorbet

Wow! Long time no see.  Thankfully, this isn't my full-time job, or I'd probably be fired by now.

Recently, I dusted off the ice cream maker and decided to put it to work.  This poor ice cream maker hasn't been touched (aside from each time we've moved) in 4 years.  I remember the last time I tried to use it was the summer I was pregnant with our first son (I have 3 little boys now, for those who are wondering).  I remember this summer very well because I was big and pregnant and it was the hottest summer I have ever experienced here. And we had no AC. And our refrigerator broke. Hence my disappointment when I tried to use the ice cream maker because the bowl didn't freeze.  I could have use this sorbet back then.

I search through Tasty Kitchen's wonderful recipes to find something to make with plums other than jam (even though jam is awesome, I was just ready for something else after canning jam three times in the last month...thank you friends with plum trees!). Ginger Plum Sorbet.  Wow!  Very impressive. It is quite possibly the best sorbet I have ever had. I love sour candy, and something about the tartness combined with the sweet, really makes this sorbet amazing.

Ginger Plum Sorbet
by tallmisto, via Tasty Kitchen

4 whole plums, seeded and roughly chopped
1 C water
3/4 C sugar
2 T candied ginger
2 T lemon juice

Place plums in a food processor and process until smooth. Spoon contents through a fine mesh sieve to remove the skin (this step is purely for aesthetics).Place puree in the refrigerator to chill.

Heat sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the ginger to the simple syrup and let sit until cooled. Refrigerate syrup for at least 4 hours with the ginger.

Place lemon juice, syrup and plum puree in food processor and blend until the small ginger pieces are chopped up and mixed in. Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer directions.
Place in freezer safe container and freeze until firmer, about 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!

Sare's Notes:
1. the recipe doesn't state this, but I used dark plum (the kind that are deep purple on the outside and red and yellow on the inside). I actually used 5 large plums instead, two were firm, and the other three were more ripe
2. I made everything the night before and let it chill overnight, then mixed it together and put it in the ice cream maker. 

Striped Ice Cream Sorbet Cake

There are very few times in the history of my food-making life when I have wanted an awesome recipe, found it, and made it less than 24 hours later (unless of course it is simple as can be, and all ingredients are already in the pantry).  This was one of those moments.  And I did not have everything handy.  A lot, but not everything. I sent my husband out first thing in the morning to get the remaining ingredients.

I am not a huge cake-eater.  I will eat cake at birthday parties, but it isn't really the type of thing I make just for the heck of it.  But I love ice cream cakes.  I remember seeing them at the store when I was younger, always wanting one for my birthday.  I didn't get one until I graduated from college.  I never realized how easy they are to make until I made this last weekend.  Easy, but time consuming.  Sort of.  Spread a layer, wait two hours. Spread a layer, wait two hours, spread a layer, wait at least 6 hours, if not more.  But it was worth it, in my opinion.  This one is kind of like a frozen peach melba.  This dessert will definitely win you some points with family and friends.  Great for Father's Day, Fourth of July, neighborhood BBQ, a birthday (maybe I will do this for son #2's birthday this year).
Thank you Martha (or rather, Martha's team of awesome foodies).  You've done it again!


Striped Ice Cream Sorbet Cake
adapted from Martha Stewart Living July 2010

Angel Food Sheet Cake (see recipe below)
1 cup berry preserves
2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
1 pint peach sorbet, softened

Angel Food Sheet Cake
(makes one 13x17-inch sheet cake)
vegetable oil cookig spray
parchment paper
12 large egg whites, room temp
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/4 Cups superfine sugar, divided
1 C all purpose flour
dash of salt

Preheat over to 350.  Spray sheet pan, line with parchment, and spray parchment (do this.  It will make life easier). Whisk whites on medium speed in a mixer until soft peaks form (I really don't know exactly how long this should be). Slowly add 3/4 C of the sugar, and continue whisking about 3 minutes, until glossy.  With the remaining 1/2 C sugar, sift with the flour & pinch of salt over the egg white mixture, and fold (I use a rubber scraper for this part) until just combined.  Do not overmix because you will deflate the whites (just be careful).  Spread batter evenly over the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.  Let the cake cook completely in the pan on a wire rack (cake should pull away from sides easily). Slide cake out from shee, right side up, and cut it in half cross-wise to form two 8 1/2x13-inch pieces.  Carefully remove the parchment from cake.


Assembling the Ice Cream Sorbet Cake
Use plastic wrap to line a 9x13-inch baking dish (let some of the plastic hang over the sides so it is easy to remove), and place half of the sheet cake in the bottom of the dish. Spread it with jam. Mix the ice cream in a heavy duty mixer with the paddle attachment to make smooth and spreadable (not melted).  Spread over the jam.  Plave in freezer until firm (min. 1 hour).  Repeat with raspberry sorbet (mix, spread, freeze).  This time freeze for 2 hours.  Now with the peach sorbet mix, spread, place other sheet cake layer on top, wrap in plastic now, and freeze. This time, you will want to freeze it, at the absolute minimum, 6 hours.  More is definitely better.  The original recipe says to freeze it overnight (and when it says that, I think of a minimum of 6 hours).  Remove from freezer, remove top plastic wrap and turn the cake over onto a cutting board.  Unwrap and trim around the edges (edges won't have all of the layers, but still eat it by all means). Slice cake and serve immediately.


Sare's Notes
1. You can make this even easier by buying a boxed angel food cake (just add water), but why would you do that?
2. Make it dairy free by only using sorbets.  Wouldn't that be pretty with all bright colors?  Of you could do all ice creams, or sherbets.  Or you could use different cake, or brownie....Endless possibilities.