Lime and Prosecco Sorbet

When I was planning and creating my St Valentines Dinner, I didn’t want it to be just a starter, main and dessert.  I wanted elements of surprise and unexpectedness.  However, in advance I had revealed the menu of just three courses.  The first of the culinary surprises were the canapés that we had with cocktails, the sorbet was the second.

What I was going to put in between the starter and the main, I just was not sure.  Was it going to be a fish course, or a ‘palate cleanser’ (I really dislike that saying – sounds like something you are looking for down the cleaning product aisle of a supermarket!).  I decided on a sorbet course, now that sounds better doesn’t it?  Thinking of all the different flavours I could do, I then read that if you are serving a sorbet in between courses rather than a dessert, it has to be a citrus one. 

Lime is my favourite citrus fruit, so was always the one to be chosen.  I wanted something else to go with the lime, something to lift it and make it more special.  Not the lime has to have something to go with it, I love limes, but wanted to give a different edge to it.  I had a bottle of Prosecco in the wine rack that was given as a Christmas present that I hadn’t opened yet, and wondered what the combination of those two together would be.

When I ate this sorbet, I was unexpectedly left with a fizz on my tongue from the Prosecco and a completely fresh and clean palate.  It worked a treat, and done exactly what is was supposed to.  I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect the sorbet to maintain the bubbles in the Prosecco.  It was zingy, fizzy and brilliant.  Perfect to have in between courses, or I bet on a really hot day, absolutely thirst quenching.

Lime and Prosecco Sorbet

Makes 1 litre - adapted from David Lebovitz The Perfect Scoop

:: 550ml water  :: 150g sugar  :: zest of 1 lime finely grated  :: 180ml lime juice freshly squeezed (took me about 6 limes)  :: 100ml Prosecco

Firstly place the sugar, zest of a lime (ideally zest it over the saucepan to catch the oils)  and 250ml of the water into a medium saucepan.  Place over a medium heat, stirring continuously.  As soon as the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and add the remaining water and lime juice.  Place in the fridge until really cold (I left mine in for 24 hours, but only because I realised the bowl to my ice cream maker was not in the freezer!).

Once the mixture is really cold, add in the Prosecco and pour into your ice cream maker and freeze as per your machines instructions.  Mine took just under 20 minutes.

Once ready, place into a container and pop into your freezer.  Remove from the freezer for about 5-10 minutes before serving to soften a little.