Plum Sorbet Or Granita Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the red wine, clove, peppercorns, vanilla and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Allow to cool. Blend the plums with the honey, corn syrup and wine syrup in a blender until smooth. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
• If you are making granita, place a 9-by-11-inch baking dish in the freezer. You may omit the corn syrup and reduce the sugar if desired.
• Using an immersion blender, blend the plum mixture for 30 seconds. If making sorbet, freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's directions. If making granita, scrape into the chilled baking dish and place back in the freezer. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the ice crystals from the outside of the baking dish toward the center. Return to the freezer and set the timer for another 30 minutes. Continue to scrape the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes until you have a uniform frozen mixture. It should not be frozen solid. If you forget to scrape and the mixture does freeze like an ice cube, cut into chunks and use a food processor fitted with the steel blade to break it up. Transfer to a container and freeze. Allow to soften for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add plums; cover and boil for 30-45 seconds. Drain and immediately place plums in ice water. Drain and pat dry. When cool enough to handle, remove skins. Cut in half; remove pits., In a small saucepan, bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon juice and zest; set aside to cool., Place the plums in a food processor; add sugar syrup. Cover and process until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Transfer puree to an 8-in.- square dish. Freeze until edges begin to firm, about 1 hour; stir. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours longer., Just before serving, transfer to a food processor; cover and process until smooth, 2-3 minutes.

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
• If you are making granita, place a 9-by-11-inch baking dish in the freezer. Omit the corn syrup and reduce the sugar if desired.
• Place a container in the freezer. Using an immersion blender, blend the watermelon mixture for 30 seconds. If making sorbet, freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's directions. If making granita, scrape into the chilled baking dish and place back in the freezer. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the ice crystals from the outside of the baking dish toward the center. Return to the freezer and set the timer for another 30 minutes. Continue to scrape the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes until you have a uniform frozen mixture. It should not be frozen solid. If you forget to scrape and the mixture does freeze like an ice cube, cut into chunks and use a food processor fitted with the steel blade to break it up. Transfer to a container and freeze. Allow to soften for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, allspice and cinnamon in heavy small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Cool syrup completely.
• Puree 1 1/2 pounds plums in processor. Press enough puree through sieve to measure 1 1/2 cups. Strain syrup into puree and blend well. Transfer mixture to 9x5x3-inch glass loaf dish. Freeze plum mixture until flaky crystals form, stirring every 30 minutes, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
• Spoon granita into 4 glass goblets. Top with peach, nectarine and plum slices and serve immediately.