Creamy Raspberry Sherbet
alt.cooking-chien/Traci & Jeff Poole/2000

Juicy, sweet-tart fresh raspberries are showcased in this simple sherbet: it contains only berries, milk, and a little sugar. You freeze the milk in an ice cube tray, then use a food processor to blend the milk cubes with the chilled or frozen fruit. In moments, the sherbet is ready to eat. If you don't have a food processor, you can use an electric mixer and a blender. The sherbet may be coarser and softer, though, and you may need to freeze it until it firms up.

1 cup whole milk
1 cup raspberries
4 to 6 tablespoons sugar

Pour milk into a divided ice cube tray; freeze until solid (about 3 hours). Refrigerate berries until very cold (or freeze them).

Shortly before serving, remove frozen milk and berries (if frozen) from freezer. Let stand for about 5 minutes at room temperature. Remove milk cubes from tray; if cubes are large, cut them into small chunks. In a food processor, whirl milk chunks, a portion at a time; use on-off pulses at first to break up chunks, then whirl continuously until velvety. With motor running, drop in berries (about 1/3 at a time) and sugar; whirl until smooth, then serve.

If you don't have a food processor, place all frozen milk in large bowl of an electric mixer and break into small pieces with a heavy spoon. Then beat until smooth, increasing mixer speed from low to high as ice softens. Set aside. Puree berries in a blender, adding 2 to 4 tablespoons milk to start blender, if needed. Beat fruit puree into milk slush. Stir in sugar. For a soft sherbet, serve immediately. If texture is too soft, cover mixture and freeze until it reaches desired firmness-or serve as a slushy shake.

Store any leftover sherbet in an airtight container in the freezer; let hard-frozen sherbet stand at room temperature until softened (15 to 30 minutes) before scooping.

Yield: Makes 6 servings (about 3 cups total)