Homemade pineapple-lychee sorbet -- or, Richard Dansky is a Terrible Influence
We have had this 20% off Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon sitting around. I usually ignore them, but in this case we were looking for a better laundry bin solution (to give you some insight into the Exciting Life of the Writer-Game-Designer), so yesterday we got some brunch and headed off to the Pleasantville-mart that is BB&B. Only there were no adequate laundry bins to be found! Gasp! So, naturally, we had to buy an ice cream maker. They had this one on sale, and I had been taunted by Dansky's sorbet posts FOR TOO LONG.
I don't read appliance instructions (it's a religious thing), so I had whipped up the base for some pineapple-lychee sorbet and poured it into the machine before I realized that the liquid-filled vessel for it has to be frozen before you can set about making sorbet. Sadness. So my delicious lychee-pineapple mixture (recipe below) went into the fridge and the ice cream tumbler went into the freezer and we went to bed.
Then, while Jay was making breakfast this morning, I dug it out, put it together, and about half an hour later there was pineapple-lychee sorbet.
And I have to say, it's freaking amazing. As expected there is little replacement for taking very fresh ingredients and letting the cold machine have its way with them. I was a little worried that the lychee would get smothered by the pineapple, but it comes through very strong, with an explosive but amazingly light flavor that bears a striking resemblance to the most tasty thing you can imagine.
It was also really simple to make. I took:
- Half a pineapple, diced (about 2 cups)
- Half a bag of fresh lychee (about a dozen) -- peeled of course
- Half a cup of sugar
- Half a cup of water
Sugar and water went onto the stove to make simple syrup while I prepared the fruit, which went into the blender. By the time I was done the simple syrup was also done and cooled, so it went in also. Puree the whole thing, then pour into the ice cream maker. I suggest you skip the part where I poured it in, realized the drum needed to be frozen, poured it out, cleaned everything, and froze the drum overnight. Then the machine does its work, and voila! Amazing summery deliciousness.
I don't read appliance instructions (it's a religious thing), so I had whipped up the base for some pineapple-lychee sorbet and poured it into the machine before I realized that the liquid-filled vessel for it has to be frozen before you can set about making sorbet. Sadness. So my delicious lychee-pineapple mixture (recipe below) went into the fridge and the ice cream tumbler went into the freezer and we went to bed.
Then, while Jay was making breakfast this morning, I dug it out, put it together, and about half an hour later there was pineapple-lychee sorbet.
And I have to say, it's freaking amazing. As expected there is little replacement for taking very fresh ingredients and letting the cold machine have its way with them. I was a little worried that the lychee would get smothered by the pineapple, but it comes through very strong, with an explosive but amazingly light flavor that bears a striking resemblance to the most tasty thing you can imagine.
It was also really simple to make. I took:
- Half a pineapple, diced (about 2 cups)
- Half a bag of fresh lychee (about a dozen) -- peeled of course
- Half a cup of sugar
- Half a cup of water
Sugar and water went onto the stove to make simple syrup while I prepared the fruit, which went into the blender. By the time I was done the simple syrup was also done and cooled, so it went in also. Puree the whole thing, then pour into the ice cream maker. I suggest you skip the part where I poured it in, realized the drum needed to be frozen, poured it out, cleaned everything, and froze the drum overnight. Then the machine does its work, and voila! Amazing summery deliciousness.