Fresh Pear Sherbet

This year my family gave me a new ice cream machine for Christmas. I have been longing for an ice cream machine that doesn't need ice or doesn't require you to pre-freeze the canister. I am now the happy and proud owner of a Cuisinart machine that meets both of these criteria. Just plug it in and away you go! Since we happened to have several very ripe Harry and David pears sitting around, pear sherbet was a natural choice to test out the machine. This simple recipe has just 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to prepare. The resulting sherbet is smooth and creamy, just like eating a juicy, ripe pear. I have made this recipe many times before, some with the Poire William and some without. Either way, this sherbet is a delicious and refreshing treat any time of year.

Fresh Pear Sherbet
Julia Child and Company

5or 6 ripe pears, enough to make about 2 cups of puree
2 Lemons
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg white
3-4 tablespoons white pear liqueur, Eau-de-vie de Poire Willams (optional)

Zest the rind of the lemons and then jucie them into a bowl (you should have 4 tablespoons of juice). Peel and core pears. Cut the pears into chunks and drop them into the bowl of lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of sugar and stir to mix. In a blender or food processor, puree the pears, adding the remaining sugar. Puree until all of the sugar is dissolved. Add the egg white and pure one moment more.  Pour mixture into ice cream maker adding Poir William, if using, at last minute to avoid turning pears dark.  Process according to machine directions. Pack in an air tight container and store in freezer for a few hours to cure. (Sherbet doesn't develop its full flavor until it has been cured.)

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Thank You to Kris at Bake in Paris  for the blog award.

 If you haven't dropped in at Kris's blog you are missing out.  Kris is not only a talented baker and cook, but an outstanding photographer and blogger as well.