This Heavenly Lavender French 75 Blueberry Sorbet is bright, flavorful and oh, so easy to make. Fresh or frozen blueberries, sugar, a touch of lemon juice and my new favorite spirit-free mixer are all that’s needed to make this delicious and refreshing summer treat.
I love a good ice cream, but my taste buds usually gravitate to the lighter, fruit-forward flavors of sorbets – especially during the hottest days of summer. I suppose my preferences in a beverage are much the same. I like drinks that are light with citrus and herbal notes, and ones that are not overly sweet, and if I’m the one doing the mixing, easy is better in my book.
Summer dessert recipes don’t have to be complex to be delicious either. In fact, with just four simple ingredients, you’ll be enjoying a perfectly balanced, sophisticated and refreshing sorbet in short time.
Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this easy blueberry sorbet recipe. So read on, gather your ingredients and equipment and then meet me back here to learn how to make this frozen dessert using either an ice cream maker or the no-churn method.
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Perfectly Paired Flavors in this Heavenly Lavender French 75 Blueberry Sorbet
It’s no secret that blueberry and lemon are a match made in heaven, but did you know that lavender, lemon and a touch of juniper is also a delightful pairing? It’s true. It’s also the refreshing flavor profile of this Blind Tiger Lavender French 75 mixer.
I’ve been sipping on Blind Tiger spirit-free mixers ever since I discovered them at a local store in Okemos, MI. The Southside is my personal favorite – a blend of mint, lime, and just the right amount of juniper. It’s light and refreshing, like a Mojito, but without the alcohol, and it’s not overly sweet. I’m also a fan of the Ward 8. There’s a hint of smokiness that blends beautifully with the apple and citrus notes in this mixer – reminding me of a crisp fall day.
This spring, I discovered my new favorite. The first time I sipped on the Lavender French 75 I paused, exclaimed, “Oh!” and took another long sip. The Lavender French 75 has a flavor profile that is light and crisp, with lemon, lavender and juniper notes. I know, I know, but for all you gin haters out there, this doesn’t taste at all like pine. It lends a sophisticated herbal quality to the mix. It’s just lovely. Absolutely lovely.
After that second sip, I immediately knew I wanted to make a blueberry sorbet with it. If you’ve been reading along on the MOstly Bakes blog for some time, you know I often share my process for developing recipes. Some recipes come naturally in one or two takes. Some are like chasing after a white whale until you find the right combination of ingredients and technique that produce the desired taste and texture.
This sorbet recipe was one of those that came to me in two sips.
Two key steps to success with this recipe
There are two key steps to guaranteeing success when making this recipe. They’re so simple, that you might be tempted to disregard them, but please don’t. They play an important role in the process.
The first is to use frozen blueberries if you are using the no-churn method. The coldness of the fruit reduces the chill time that is needed in the freezer in order for the sorbet to set up. If your blueberries are frozen and all your ingredients, including the Lavender French 75 are chilled before you start, it will help cut your wait time significantly.
The second step – and this is non-negotiable in my book – is that you need to strain the fruit mixture before freezing. Blueberries have a million little seeds, and your sorbet will be gritty if you don’t strain them out first. The seeds don’t impact the flavor, but straining them before churning or freezing produces a sorbet with a much smoother texture. Don’t be tempted to skip this step, and yes, I’m telling you from my own personal recipe development experience.
To ensure all seeds are removed, I recommend straining the liquid mixture twice for a perfectly smooth, more refined sorbet.
Thanks to Blind Tiger for sponsoring this post and for providing the Lavender French 75 mixer featured in this recipe.
The Rebirth of the Blind Tiger
Although I love a good craft cocktail and the complex bouquet of flavors that spirits and other ingredients impart, I don’t always want the alcohol. And if I’m fighting a cold, need to get up early the next day or stay sharp for something, I usually choose to skip the alcohol altogether.
After looking over a few of my recipes, you might be surprised to learn that I’m not a huge drinker. It’s true that I cook with a lot of different spirits. I see them as unique ingredients that bring a lot of flavor to my cooking, and they have a special place right next to my vanilla and other favorite herbs and spices.
However, as more people embrace the craft mocktail movement, mocktails have grown in popularity and sophistication. Gone are the days of a splash of fruit juice and sparkling water being the only alcohol-free beverage option for people looking to abstain. There are some really good non-alcoholic mixes and options on the market right now.
One of my new favorites is Blind Tiger. One of the things I love about this company is its origin story. When the Pandemic hit in 2020, many restaurants were forced to find creative ways to keep their businesses running. For Rebecca Styn, the owner of Erie, PA’s Room 33 Speakeasy it was an opportunity to engage her team in crafting spirit-free cocktails that anyone could enjoy for however long we were to remain in our homes. In an effort to keep her business and her people employed, it was during that period that Blind Tiger was born.
I also have a soft spot for both word play and simple, clean ingredients. All the Blind Tiger mixers are playfully named and alcohol-free variations of 1920s classic cocktails. These delicious, high-quality, non-alcoholic mixers can be consumed straight out of the can or bottle, taking all the guess work out of mixing a good craft mocktail. They’re also all-natural, organic, and Gluten-Free, and as a former bee keeper, I love the fact that they use organic honey or cane sugar as their sweeteners of choice.
If you’re hosting a party and want to offer an alternative beverage option for your guests, or you’re looking to cut back yourself, Blind Tiger is absolutely worth checking out!
Volstead Would Be Proud: Spirit Free Beverages Get Their Day
The Volstead Act , a U.S. law enacted in 1919, is named after Andrew Volstead, a Minnesota Congressman who viewed alcohol as a contributing factor to the degradation of society. Volstead championed the bill that would prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States for nearly 13 years.
However, the law didn’t have the desired effect its supporters had hoped for in terms of righting the moral and ethical compass of the nation. Instead, with Prohibition came the rise of organized bootlegging and the Speakeasy or Blind Tiger – places where spirits were sold illegally, but were believed to be off local law enforcement’s radar. In 1932, Prohibition was finally repealed.
I can’t help but believe that Volstead would have embraced the spirit-free movement. Whatever your reason for abstaining from alcohol, you can still raise a glass in celebration of these lovely alcohol-free beverage options.
No ice cream maker? No problem. Do this instead.
Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this Heavenly Lavender French 75 Blueberry sorbet at home. You just need to make a few small adjustments.
First, I recommend using frozen blueberries instead of fresh. This will dramatically reduce the chill time needed in the freezer. Your sorbet will set up much quicker if you use frozen blueberries for this no-churn method.
Second, follow steps 2-4 as directed below. However, once the sorbet is fully blended and you’ve strained it, immediately place the sorbet mixture in a container in the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, give the sorbet a quick stir with a spatula and return it to the freezer. Repeat the process 3-5 more times. Allow the sorbet to rest overnight before serving.
The ice cream mixer incorporates a little air into the sorbet as it churns – delivering a lighter, creamier texture. You’ll lose a little volume when freezing and stirring by hand, and the sorbet will take longer to firm up, but it will still taste just as delicious!
Heavenly Lavender French 75 Blueberry Sorbet
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
1/2 cup servings10
minutes30
minutesBlueberries, sugar, a touch of lemon juice and Blind Tiger Lavender French 75 spirit-free mixer are all that’s needed to make this delicious and refreshing sorbet.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups blueberries (you can use fresh or frozen).
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
One can (250 ml) of Blind Tiger Lavender French 75 spirit- free mixer
Directions
- Prep your ice cream maker
- Prepare your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Prepare the sorbet mixture
- In large capacity food processor or blender, puree the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice together until a smooth slush forms. Scrape down the sides of the container and move the fruit around to ensure it is completely smooth. If using frozen fruit, this could take 5 – 7 minutes.
- Slowly add the Blind Tiger Lavender French 75 to the fruit mixture and pulse for 30 seconds more until it is completely incorporated. If using frozen blueberries, the mixture will be quite slushy at this point.
- Pour the liquid fruit mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a 4 cup glass measuring container. Use a spatula to gently press the blueberry mixture through the strainer. Discard any seeds. For an extra smooth sorbet, strain twice. If using the no-churn method, skip to step 7.
- Place the sorbet mixture in the ice cream maker and churn for 25-30 minutes. Remove the sorbet from the ice cream maker and chill for at least 2 hours before serving, but overnight is better.
- No ice cream maker? No problem. Do this instead.
- Follow steps 2-4 as directed.
- After straining, place the mixture in a container in the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, give the mixture a quick stir with a spatula and return it to the freezer. Repeat the process 3-5 more times. Allow the sorbet to rest overnight before serving.
