100th Post- Pear and St. Germain Sorbet

I started writing this blog just about a year ago and now I've made it to my 100th post. When I started writing these entries I wasn't really sure which direction I would go, whether people would even be reading, or how it would have really inspired me to try and cook new and exciting recipes. My skills as a baker have improved dramatically and I've even learned some cookie and cake decorating techniques that I never thought I would ever know how to do. I have learned, and am still learning, about food photography and food writing. Everyday is a great learning experience and this blog has really helped me to challenge myself in the kitchen. Thanks to everyone who reads this. It really means a lot me.

In other news, I made my first batch of sorbet the other day. We had some pears in the kitchen that needed to be eaten and then I remembered seeing a recipe for pear sorbet in Jenis Splendid Ice Creams, my favorite ice cream book. You can see my previous post on Rocky Road Ice Cream.

The recipe in the cookbook calls for the pears to be poached in Riesling. Sorry to all those sweet wine lovers out there, but I cannot stand the taste of Riesling, far too sweet for my tastes. Since I never have a bottle of it laying around the house I went with Chardonnay instead and decided to throw in some St. Germain at the end to give it the sweetness and flowery essence. For those who don't know, St. Germain is an elderflower liqueur. I am absolutely in love with the stuff. It's expensive, but a little goes a long way. It really adds a nice subtle background flavor to the sorbet, which came out light and refreshing, yet still really deep in flavor. Definitely a must try.

Pear and St, Germain Sorbet
Adapted from  Jenis Splendid Ice Creams


5-6 medium pears, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Chardonnay
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup organic light corn syrup
1 tbsp St. Germain

1) Combine all of the ingredients except for the St. Germain in a sauce pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the pears are soft (it really depends on their ripeness)
2) Let cool slightly then puree in a food processor until very smooth and add St. Germain and puree to combine
3) Pour into a gallon size zip bag and submerge the bag into an ice bath and let cool
4) Once the puree is cold add to the ice cream machine and turn on until the sorbet is thick and cold (it takes around 15 minutes)
5) Pour into a container and line the top with wax paper and place in freezer to harden for at least 4 hours
6) Remove from freezer and scoop into bowls and enjoy!