Coconut ‘Sorbet’

Coconut ‘Sorbet’

For the dairy-free and vegan options in my recipes, I usually include coconut sorbet as an alternative to vanilla ice cream or cream to serve with desserts. While there are some great commercial coconut sorbets out there, they can be hard to find. So here’s my recipe. Make sure your coconut cream is unsweetened or you’ll end up with a super-sweet mush that won’t freeze properly.

1 can coconut cream, unsweetened (400mL / 14oz)
1 ripe pear or banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
stevia, honey or maple syrup, to taste (optional)

1. Place coconut cream in a ziplock bag. Place in the freezer until frozen, about 6 hours.

2. Chop pear or banana (peeling banana first) into chunks and place in another ziplock bag or a container. Freeze.

3. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve the sorbet, remove the coconut cream and fruit from the freezer.

4. Bash the coconut cream in the bag to break into chunks (or throw it on the floor). Remove coconut chunks from the bag and place in a food processor along with the frozen fruit.

5. Whizz with the vanilla (if using) until you have a soft-serve sorbet consistency. This will take a while, so be patient. If it’s not coming together add a few tablespoons water to hasten the process.

6. Taste and add your preferred sweetener (if needed). When you’re happy, serve asap or place in a container and return to the freezer for up to 4 hours. Longer than this and your sorbet will start to turn icy but will still be edible.

Variations

coconut milk – is fine, will just be less rich than coconut cream.

no fruit / low carb sorbet – you could skip the fruit for a lower carb sorbet but you’ll need to add some stevia or other sweetener.

other fruit – feel free to play around! Berries are awesome and for a tropical vibe frozen mango or pineapple (or both) are delicious.

boozy – add a splash of vodka or white rum.

no coconut – use whipping cream or your favourite plant based milk (these will be lighter and more icy in texture).

short on time – serve banana / pear with sweetened whipped coconut cream.

Shelf Life / Storage

Best within about 4 hours of making. Longer storage will result in ice crystals and a hard frozen texture. Still edible for months in the freezer.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

coconut cream / vanilla extract / stevia, rice malt syrup or maple syrup – keep them in pantry.

pear or banana – cut and freeze them in a plastic bag.