Dessert and summer are a match made in heaven. Sweltering summer afternoons might not be comfortable, but any discomfort can be quickly washed away with a refreshing dessert, such as the following recipe for “Kiwi Fruit Sorbet” from Lou Seibert Pappas’ “Ice Creams & Sorbets” (Chronicle Books).
Kiwi Fruit Sorbet
Makes about 1 quart
2 teaspoons grated lime or lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup water
2 pounds kiwi fruit (about 8 kiwi fruit), peeled and quartered
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
2 limes, quartered
In a small bowl, mash the zest with 1 teaspoon of the sugar to release the oils. Combine the remaining sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the syrup is clear. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a food processor or blender, purée the kiwi fruit with the juice, syrup and sugared zest. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, to freeze without an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a 9-inch nonreactive square pan. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze just until solid, 2 to 3 hours. Scrape out into an electric mixer or food processor and process briefly until light and fluffy. Serve at once or transfer to a container, cover, and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. At serving time, garnish with a lime wedge to squeeze over each serving.
