Sherbet, or sherbert in the USA, is a frozen dessert similar to ice cream but with one large difference. Sherbet has a lower fat content than ice cream due to the usage of extra water, or water heavy fruit juices. In this Passionfruit Sherbet recipe, the passionfruit pulp contains quite a bit of water turning this churned dessert into a sherbet instead of an ice cream.
Passionfruit, also known as maracuya, is a wonderfully tropical fruit which seems just made for desserts. It is sweet, tangy, acidic, and just bursting with flavor. It really lends itself to things like ice cream, gelato, and sherbets as the rich dairy creates a nice balance between refreshing and decadent.
What Is The Difference Between Sherbet And Ice Cream?
Ice cream and sherbet are both somewhat similar frozen desserts, but they do have slight differences. Ice cream is typically made with cream, milk, sugar, and flavorings, while sherbet is made with fruit juice or puree, sugar, and a small amount of dairy. The main difference between the two is the fat content, as ice cream has a higher fat content than sherbet. Sherbet is also typically lighter in texture and has a more pronounced fruit flavor, while ice cream is creamier and has flavors that often derive from herbs and spices. That being said, there are plenty of fruit flavored ice creams. They usually use extracts or syrups for the flavor without the water. Additionally, sherbet often contains more air, which gives it a lighter and fluffier consistency than ice cream.
What You Will Need
When making sherbet at home you will need an ice cream machine. Fortunately there are a wide variety of options to choose from. You can read more about which ice cream maker is right for you on plenty of review sites. I personally just use the ice cream maker attachment for my SMEG stand mixer which came out to just under $100.
Other things you will need:
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Airtight Container
- Kitchen Scale (optional but highly recommended)
You will also need the actual ingredients of course. Although most sherbet recipes don’t require all that many ingredients. The focus here is more on using the highest quality stuff you can find.
Passionfruit Sherbet Ingredients
Unlike some of my fancy (aka complicated) ice cream recipes, sherbet only needs a few ingredients. And other than the actual passionfruit, you likely have everything in your house already!
- 250 ml Heavy Cream
- 250 ml Milk
- 400 ml Passionfruit Pulp (if you can do it from fresh passionfruits that would be best, but just make sure to strain out the bones (seeds)).
- 150 grams Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 whole Passionfruit (optional, for garnish)
Making Passionfruit Sherbet At Home
This passionfruit sherbet recipe is so, so simple. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together (except the whole passionfruit for the garnish) and pour the mixture into your ice cream machine. Sherbets by nature have a high water content so they generally don’t take long at all. I ran my machine for example for 30 minutes at the second lowest setting.
Sherbet tends to have quite a bit of air churned into it, so you should expect to double your volume. When it is nice and creamy move it over to a sealable container and pop it in the freezer for at least 6 hours.
I love to serve this delicious passionfruit sherbet with a drizzling of fresh passionfruit pulp for added tang and texture. And if you like you can even serve the sherbet inside a hollowed out passionfruit.
Fun Fact: Passionfruit refers to not just one, but a family of fruits native to a large number of tropical countries. For this recipe feel free to use whatever passionfruit you can find, as I’ve yet to eat one I didn’t love. Some other names for passionfruit around the world are:
- Brazil – maracujá
- Hawai’i – liliko’i
- Puerto Rico – parcha
- Dominican Republic – chinola
Passionfruit Sherbet
Ingredients
- 250 ml Heavy Cream
- 250 ml Milk
- 400 ml Passionfruit Pulp if you can do it from fresh passionfruits that would be best, but just make sure to strain out the bones (seeds).
- 150 grams Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 whole Passionfruit optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the whole passionfruit to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour mix into an ice cream machine and run until optimal soft-serve consistency.
- Move sherbet to a sealable container and place in the freezer for at least six hours, or until frozen according to your freezer strength.
Notes
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