Grainy chocolate sorbet

I love chocolate sorbet and have made it in my ice cream maker a few times using recipes from David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop. The basic technique is that you heat water and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved; add chopped chocolate to the hot mixture and whisk until it's melted; add additional flavorings of your choice; chill the base; and freeze the chilled base in your ice cream maker.

My problem is that the chocolate seizes up when I chill the base despite the fact that the base was smooth when I put it into the refrigerator. I have tried whisking the base after it comes out of the fridge to break up the chocolate, but the resulting sorbet is still filled with little grains of chocolate (not ice). This result is not surprising, but I don't know if there is any way to avoid it. Thoughts?

Hmm. My thoughts are that you should chill the mixture faster, perhaps in a bowl set in a water/ice bath, and churn it right then without putting it into the fridge.

I haven't seen Lebovitz's book, but are you sure you described his recipe correctly? Every recipe I've seen and executed for chocolate sorbet calls for cocoa powder in place of all or most of the chopped chocolate you seem to be using. Some use a bit of chopped chocolate to augment the powder, but the powder has been primary in all recipes I've ever seen, because it dissolves better when heated with the water and sugar, and therefore avoids this graininess problem.

Kennyz wrote:I haven't seen Lebovitz's book, but are you sure you described his recipe correctly? Every recipe I've seen and executed for chocolate sorbet calls for cocoa powder in place of all or most of the chopped chocolate you seem to be using. Some use a bit of chopped chocolate to augment the powder, but the powder has been primary in all recipes I've ever seen, because it dissolves better when heated with the water and sugar, and therefore avoids this graininess problem.

Bingo

Chicagoexpat,

I have never made sorbet/ice cream at home, but I used to be a pastry chef around town. Here's my recipe that I used while working at the now-defunct Soul Kitchen:

1 1/4 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. water
1 c. cocoa powder (the higher quality, the better.)
1/4 c. Vanilla Brandy* (I made my own by steeping "used" vanilla pods in a bottle of Brandy.) You can use any liquor you like - it helps to create a smooth texture and keeps those ice crystals down.
1/2 c. milk (Yes, I know there is no dairy in a true sorbet. Try this recipe - you'll understand.)

Bring the water and sugar to a boil, whisking. Combine the cocoa, brandy and milk. Add the sugar syrup to the cocoa mixture. Strain (preferably through a chinois.) Chill at least 4 hours, or overnight, before processing.

I broke the quantities down pretty far from my usual commercial batch, but you may wind up with more base than you can use at once. It will store in the refrigerator for several days - just give it a good whisking before running in your machine.

* If you make Creme Brulee at home, or any other dessert requiring the seeds from vanilla pods, do not throw out the pods! Toss them in a bottle of brandy or Vodka. Fresh berries tossed with a little sugar and some of this "vanillafied" alcohol are awesome! Or, of course, you can just drink it.

I have "The Perfect Scoop" and it does indeed call for melted chocolate in addition to cocoa powder.

We've made a bunch of recipes from this book, and I'd say we have an overall success rate of around 50%.

I don't think it's a very well-tested book.

Best,
Michael

(thanks to germuska for finding this - it was posted over the "lost weekend" )


I made that chocolate tangerine sorbet once, from another recipe book - I remember being amazed at how good it was. It calls for:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups water
2 oz european bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbs. light corn syrup
1 tbs. grated orange zest

What kind of chocolate did you use? Some are softer and meltier than others are.

This recipe says to combine sugar and cocoa in a pan, gradually whisk in the water, then bring to a boil and whisk constantly for 4 minutes. Reduce heat, add the rest of the ingredients, stir just until the chocolate melts. Cool in fridge for one hour, process as per your ice cream maker. Freeze over night in freezer (so flavors meld).

(this is from Williams Sonoma's Kitchen Library Ice Cream and Sorbet book)

eatchicago wrote:I have "The Perfect Scoop" and it does indeed call for melted chocolate in addition to cocoa powder.

We've made a bunch of recipes from this book, and I'd say we have an overall success rate of around 50%.

I don't think it's a very well-tested book.

Best,
Michael

FWIW, I have to second this opinion. I've made several of the sorbets from this book and some, Like the strawberry rhubarb, have come out perfect. Many others have had issues similar to the OP's experience. I thought possibly my ice cream maker wasn't cutting it but now I have an excuse =)! I wonder if anyone out there has recommendations for other Iced desert recipe books ?

Thank you all for your incredibly helpful comments. The depth of knowledge on these boards consistently amazes me.

The recipe in "Perfect Scoop" called for 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and no cocoa. I used Scharffen Berger chocolate. Next time I will try one of the posted cocoa powder recipes.

Anyone out there have a use for a quart of grainy chocolate-tangerine sorbet?

Melt it into hot chocolate?

chicagoexpat wrote:Anyone out there have a use for a quart of grainy chocolate-tangerine sorbet?

Melt it, strain out the seized chocolate, refreeze the rest and have tangerine sorbet.

If you want to try to reuse the chocolate:

How to Smooth Seized Chocolate