This is not the first (nor will it be the last) strawberry-related recipe you’ll see on this blog. I absolutely love strawberries and I thoroughly enjoy trying new recipes which feature them. As I was flipping through my July edition of Bon Appétit, I came across a delightful section devoted to tasty frozen treats.
I totally love making ice cream here in my kitchen. There is something so pure and delicious about a well-made batch of rich ice cream. I don’t have to wonder what sort of preservatives might be lurking beneath the surface, nor do I have to consider how many artificial flavors are taking the place of good, clean ingredients.
When my eyes graced the page featuring a Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Sherbet, I knew immediately I was going to try it out here at home. From time to time I’ll make a buttermilk ice cream and it is absolutely wonderful, so I could only imagine how amazing it would taste when paired with the perfect summer fruit.
I followed this recipe to the letter, which isn’t what I normally do. But in the case of ice creams and ice cream-related desserts, I sometimes like to see what the original should taste like before I make any changes. Next time, however, I might add some fresh herbs like thyme, basil, or even a little mint. I might even add a touch of balsamic vinegar to deepen and complement the strawberry flavor.
Roasting the strawberries in sugar and a fresh vanilla bean really amp up the strawberry flavor. When the mixture cools, the vanilla pod is removed and the whole lot is puréed with the buttermilk and sour cream in a blender or food processor. Because I let the berries cool completely, and the dairy was really cold, I was able to skip the usual cooling process one has to do when making a custard-based ice cream.
It also dawned on me that this sherbet could easily be made without the use of an ice cream maker. One of my favorite websites, The Kitchn, featured just such a method not too long ago. If you try it this way, please let me know how it works out for you!
Now, get out there, find some strawberries, and make this sherbet pronto!
Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet
Originally from bon appétit magazine
Ingredients
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled, halved or quartered if large
1 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk
1/3 cup sour cream
pinch of kosher salt
Method
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Combine strawberries and granulated sugar in a baking pan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the pan, along with the pod; toss to combine.
Roast the berries, stirring occasionally, until bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on counter.
Discard vanilla pod. In a blender or food processor, purée berries, buttermilk, sour cream, and salt until smooth.
Process mixture in ice cream maker (or by the method I linked to above) according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer sherbet to an airtight container and place in freezer until ready to serve.
Let soften at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.
stalk my kitchen 