CALLING CLEVER FOODIES - YOUR HELP NEEDED WITH A CHAMPAGNE SORBET

[Cadbury]

I need your advice. I'm making a champagne sorbet. I've followed the recipe to the letter except that I don't have an ice-cream maker so I'm doing it by freezing it and whisking it every hour or so.

Basically, it isn't freezing. I think it's because of the alcohol (I tried to boil off some) and so I'm wondering, as it has been in the freezer for 2+ hours and is showing no signs of freezing, could I take it out, boil it up again and therefore lower the alcohol content and try the freezing process again once it's cool?

What do you think?

Please someone help me!

This is part of the pudding for Aero's birthday meal and I want to get it right

I can't think of any real reason why not.

But it seems so wrong...

how cold is your freezer? alcohol will freeze at a lower temperature than water, so perhaps you just need to turn the freezer down a bit?

Are there egg whites in the recipe?
wish Aero a very happy birthday from me

Yes, it is - very cold though. Its been in for nearly 3 hours

I think it's the alcohol because I read another recipe for champagne sorbet somewhere and they had to have 3 attempts to make it freeze.

Of course, it isn't straight champagne now - it has water, sugar and lemon juice too.

here's the recipe

Champage Sorbet, adapted from Kieran at Ice Cream Ireland (how I wish I were his neighbor!)

Serves 6 (or one tipsy Tartelette!)

300gr sugar
500 ml water
250 ml good quality Champagne
50 ml lemon juice

Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Let cool completely.
Stir in the champagne and lemon juice.
Process in your ice cream machine following the manufacturer's instructions or use the method described above.

The recipe could not be any simpler and if you do not have an ice cream maker, do not worry. Once you are ready to freeze the sorbet mixture, pour it into a glass container and freeze for a couple of hours. With an handheld immersion blender, Kitchen Aid or hand mixer, whisk the dough for a miute or so. Return the dish to the freezer and repeat a couple more times. Et Voila!

will do Carmenere

Don't take it out and boil it up, it should freeze.

What are the other ingredients in it?

Is your freezer cold enough?

lapin, it was room temp when I put it in and I had chilled the glass bowl it was poured into prior to going in the freezer

It will freeze, it jut may take a while. Things with a high sugar content do usually take a bit longer to freeze than things witohut.

How long have you got till it needs to be ready?

Actually, I think what I can see might be ice crystals forming at the bottom of the bowl.

I'll leave it a bit longer.

It's meant to go with strawberries for dinner tomorrow evening so I have a bit of time if it all goes pear shaped.

Thanks for your advice everyone. I knew Mumsent would have the answer. It's known as "The Oracle" in my house!

Am I the only one here not to notice the utterly uber poncetastic scar that lapin has from champagne sorbet? lol lol

Oh that is a good story. I was thinking 'cor what softy pants hands lapin must have to get a scar from some sorbet' but jagged glass from an exploded champagne bottle is proper hard and v civilised.

So that so your anti clone detection mark to show DH then (with back up story).

Well folks, it now looks like a slush puppy drink. So ice is definitely forming but it might ttake all day and night to freeze. Just as well I did this today and not tomorrow.

Sorry Wabbit, I didn't see this.

Well, it turned out really well - perhaps a little too sweet for my palette but it worked well with the strawberries. I think every one weent home slightly tipsier than they realised

Thanks for everyone's support and advice