This recipe has been on my list to make for weeks now, and I’m so excited that I finally got to it now that summer is in full swing!  This sorbet turned out amazing – it’s so vibrantly red, so full of strawberry flavor, nice and sweet, and lightly floral due to the chamomile.  I added a little lemon juice to balance out the sweetness from the berries and sugar, but not so much that it would overpower the delicate flavors.  This sorbet is summer in a bowl, and I hope you make it!

This sorbet is low fat but definitely not low sugar, although the sugar content is something I want to experiment with over the course of the summer.  This recipe is completely vegan, and is a perfect dairy-free alternative to ice cream.  This recipe utilizes a little bit of cooking to make the sugar syrup and an ice cream maker to churn, but otherwise requires no special equipment.  The base came together in about a half hour, and will churn up in about 20 minutes after it rests.  This recipe does require some rest time for the base and for the final product to freeze, so plan to make this about a day in advance that you want to serve it.

Recipe down below, photo up top!  Happy summer, friends!

Strawberry Chamomile Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 1 quart (4 cups) of fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup dried chamomile flowers
  • Sub for 1 tea bag of chamomile tea, or loose-leaf chamomile tea
• Juice of ½ of a lemon

Method:

1. Measure out the strawberries and place into a blender.  Set aside.
2. Add sugar and water into a small saucepan, and place over medium-low heat.  Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve into the water.  Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  As soon as the mixture comes to a full boil, all of the sugar should be completely dissolved (mixture should be completely clear, not cloudy).  Remove the pan from the heat as soon as a rolling boil is achieved.
3. Immediately add the chamomile to the boiling sugar/water solution, and allow to steep in the hot syrup for 5 minutes.
   1. Heat should stay off this whole time, the syrup should cool slightly during this step.
4. After 5 minutes, transfer the chamomile-infused syrup into the blender with the strawberries by pouring the syrup through a strainer to remove the chamomile pieces.  Syrup should be clear and lightly yellow in color.  Discard strained out chamomile pieces.
   1. If using a tea bag, simply remove the tea bag from the syrup and pour the syrup directly into the blender with the strawberries.
5. Add juice of ½ of a lemon to the blender with the chamomile syrup and the strawberries, ensuring no seeds enter the blender.
6. Blend the strawberries, chamomile syrup, and lemon juice for 60 seconds on high until the mixture is bright red and completely smooth.  This is the base of your sorbet.
7. Transfer the sorbet base to an air-tight container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to allow the base to rest and have the base be fully chilled before churning.
8. After resting, churn the sorbet in an ice cream machine for 15-20 minutes, until mostly frozen.
9. Transfer to an air-tight container and freeze completely in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours before serving.
10. Enjoy!