Strawberry sorbet with crème Chantilly
This simple and delightful dessert of strawberry sorbet with vanilla whipped cream comes from a little restaurant near Toulouse, but I cooked it for my TV series after a visit to a strawberry farm in Lincolnshire.
For this recipe you will need a blender or food processor.
Ingredients
For the sorbet
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú sugar
- 500g/1lb 2oz ripe strawberries, hulled, plus extra to serve, sliced
- 1 lemon, juice only
For the crème Chantilly
- 150ml/¼ pint double or whipping cream
- 1 heaped tsp icing sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla paste or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod
Method
Put the sugar in a saucepan with 300ml/½ pint water. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar has fully dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 5–6 minutes until you have a viscous syrup. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
Put the strawberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blitz to form a smooth purée. Combine the purée with the cooled syrup and pour into an ice cream machine (see the Recipe Tip if you don't have an ice cream maker). Churn until soft set, then transfer to a plastic box, cover with a lid and freeze for 3–4 hours until ready to serve.
Before serving, let the sorbet soften slightly in the fridge for 10–15 minutes so it is easier to scoop. Meanwhile, make the crème Chantilly by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl until thickened and holding soft peaks – take care not to overwhip. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve the sorbet with sliced strawberries and the crème Chantilly.
Recipe Tips
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, combine the purée and syrup as above, pour into a plastic box and put in the freezer for about 1 hour or until the mixture is starting to freeze. Use a fork to break up the ice crystals, then put back in the freezer for another hour. Repeat another two or three times, then freeze until set and ready to use.