Strangely I am on a chocolate binge. My last post featured a double dose of the stuff with a Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookie. Today I have Chocolate Sorbet. Not just any Chocolate Sorbet, but David Lebovitz' Chocolate Sorbet from his book The Perfect Scoop.
I have to admit this is a revelation to me. And I don't just mean this sorbet either. I mean I learned something about myself.
You see, I am not much a dessert guy. I am particularly not much of a chocolate guy. So even though I was aware of David Lebovitz and his blog, I'd never gone there before. I follow (quietly) his tweets because they usually make me smile. But as I said, I am not much of a dessert guy. So his blog, the books, none of that really appealed to me. Though I acknowledge him as a great cook.
But I was rummaging through a pile of books at a garage sale recently and I came across one his books, The Perfect Scoop. It was splotched with chocolate and a couple of pages were stuck together. So I got the idea that this book had been through its paces. Suddenly I thought about the book I am writing and I thought I'd be honored to see it so well-used and obviously well-loved. That's when I knew David's book did not deserve to be in the 3 books for $5.00 pile. I decided to rescue it.
But the more I rummaged, the more I realized that the book in my hand was the only book published after 1983, and one of the few cookbooks. Now I love retro, but these books weren't retro they were just out-dated. So I took The Perfect Scoop all by itself up to the woman in charge. Now I know I should have offered the woman $1.00 for just the one book. I mean 3 for $5.00 works out to $1.66 a book. So $1.00 seemed like the logical number. But instead I said "I'll give you fifty cents". As soon as I said it I regretted it. It seemed rude. But I was stuck on the $1.00 number and thought if I said fifty cents, she'd counter with a dollar. But she said "sure". Which was crazy good luck for me. But still I felt silly standing there as she tried to find $19.50 as change to the twenty I gave her. Yikes, I have to live in this neighborhood. What's wrong with me?
Anyway my good fortune continued because a few days later I made David Lebovitz' Chocolate Sorbet exactly as written from that book. Holy you know what! This sorbet was a revelation to me. I liked this dessert, and it was chocolate. It tasted like really good dirt. I mean that in a really good way. Because I am talking about the very best dirt, it was so dark and so complex. I swear this sorbet was even creamy. But how was that possible?
Seriously, this was the perfect scoop of chocolate sorbet. You gotta buy this book. I just hope you get as good a deal as I got! GREG
Chocolate Sorbet makes on quart CLICK here for a printable recipe
- 2 1/4 c water
- 1 c sugar
- 3/4 c unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 pn salt
- 6 oz bittersweet finely chopped
- 1/2 t vanilla extract
In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk, for 45 seconds.
Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it's melted, then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) water. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If the mixture has become too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.
Greg Henry writes the food blog Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Food, and contributes the Friday column on entertaining for The Back Burner at Key Ingredient. He’s active in the food blogging community, and a popular speaker at IFBC, Food Buzz Festival and Camp Blogaway. He’s led cooking demonstrations in Panama & Costa Rica, and has traveled as far and wide as Norway to promote culinary travel. He’s been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, More Magazine, The Today Show Online and Saveur’s Best of the Web. Greg also co-hosts The Table Set podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes or at Homefries Podcast Network.
- Follow Greg on Twitter @SippitySup
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- Look for Greg's book Savory Pies coming Nov 2012, from Ulysses Press







Comments
50 cents. You oughta be
50 cents. You oughta be ashamed ;) Lighten up... that's what yard sales are all about! Dang, this sorbet looks creamy and delish. It's a chocolate explosion at Sup's place!
Who the hell has an ice cream maker?
I may be the only foodie in the world without an ice cream maker these days. Well, I justify it (and make myself feel better) by saying we have a small kitchen, so I can only pick and choose the stuff we really (really) need. Is there a way to make this without an ice cream maker? I'd LOVE to make my own sorbets!
Yep
Make it as directed, put it in a shallow covered dis and freeze it. Not quite as good, but close... GREG
David certainly knows how to
David certainly knows how to make a solid dessert and I have no doubt this sorbet is lovely! I really do need to pick up a copy of his book... and get started on making some ice cream. It's the season, right (well, maybe not... it's dropping to the 50s this week).
Enjoy your Sunday, Greg!
Who are you and what have you done with Greg?
If you keep up with desserts, I swear I'll boil ribs on my blog (ha ha ha - just kidding).
Normally I refrain from buying used publications with sticky pages but in this case it seemed like a good idea.
Rumors!
There are rumors going around the net that you are now baking cookies and churning ice cream and I see that they are true. Indeed. We are an awful lot alike.
The King of Sorbets
A good dose of chocolate once in a while makes the world a happier place. David is the King of ice cream and sorbets, but in saying that I am not his biggest fan for reasons of my own. But I won't rant on your blog.
Perfect Scoop
Perfect timing this 90 degree weekend for your perfect scoop of icy cold chocolate sorbet. Thank you Greg!
I admit, I will never really
I admit, I will never really understand how you are not a dessert guy...but maybe that's why you can fit into skinny jeans and I can't. :P I've been coveting the perfect scoop for a while! Maybe i need to check out more yard sales?
Swoon to this icy cold chocolatey deliciousness.
One of the first recipes I
One of the first recipes I ever posted on my blog was David Lebovitz's chocolate bread but I'm ashamed to say I have his ice cream book but have never used it. And I can't believe you paid only $0.50 for it! What a deal!
Have a great weekend!
Greg, I'm not a chocolate fan ...
... but the day will come when I need to make some chocolate sorbet, and this sounds like a good one. I've actually been on a kick for about a year now developing ice cream/frozen dessert recipes. Think I've done ten so far. I feel I *should* read this book, but only when I'm through with my kick. Love the photo! AND the haggling story (tsk tsk)!
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