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I just bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker in the hopes of making healthier ice creams, frozen yogurt, and sorbet. Does anyone have any tried and true recipes?

Georgia, I made a Watermelon Sorbet the other day.

1 (2 1/1 lb) piece of watermelon, rind and seeds discarded, flesh cut into cubes (about 4 cups)
1 cup sugar
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS vodka

In food process or blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Tansfer to a medium bowl.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, vodka to the puree and stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or as long as 3 days.
Stir the mixture to blend and pour into the canister of the ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacurer's directions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze until firm. Enjoy!

Wow, that sounds good!! (...except perhaps not enough vodka?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Although I guess more liquor keeps it from freezing very well?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thinks.gif" alt="" /> )

Thanks Annie! I wonder how that would work with Agave or Splenda instead of the sugar. Trying to be a little more South Beach friendly for the next few weeks.

I did find a recipe for fresh peach frozen yogurt that I'm going to try tomorrow.

Here's one for Pina Colada Sorbet

2 (20 oz) cans crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained, syrup reserved.
1/3 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBS light rum
1 TBS fresh lemon juice

In a food processor or blender, puree the pineapple until smooth.
Pour the puree into a large bowl. Add the reserved pineapple syrup, coconut milk, sugar, rum and lemon juice. Stir to blend well. Cover and refrigerate until very cold at least 2 hours or as long as 3 days.
Stir the mixture to blend and pour into canister of ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hr or as long as 3 days.

OOHHH! Yummy!

annie, Yummmm!

It is good!! I love fresh ground black pepper so here's a sorbet using that.

Tangerine and Cracked Black Pepper Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
4 cups tangerine juice (about 15 tangerines)
1 TBS finely grated tangerine zest
1 1/2 tsp freshly coarse ground black pepper
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Make a simple syrup with the sugar, water and lemon juice and cool in fridge.

When syrup is cold, combine it with the tangerine juice, zest and black pepper. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Serve the sorget in chilled margarita glasses with sprig of mint.

Enjoy!

OK, this one is really up my alley! The pina colada looks delicious but is a little more high calorie than what I was looking for <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

It is delicious, Georgia! As for the Pina Colada it is kind of high in calories! Maybe you can try pineapple in it's own juice, light coconut milk and splenda and see how it turns out. Maybe I'll try it like that in the next few days...I think I have all the ingredients.

Annie, the pina colada isn't as bad as I thought it was...for some reason I thought I saw a can of sweetened condensed milk in there <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />...must have read too fast! Like you say, subbing for a couple of items would probably still be good. I don't like things as sweet as most people seem to anyway!

This one is great and I've used granulated Splenda.

SUMMER BERRY FROZEN YOGURT

3 cups fresh berries....knock yourself out of the mixes.
1 cup granulated sugar (I used Splenda)
4 cups of low-fat vanilla yogurt. (I'll bet the Greek yogurt would be awesome)

Pour it all in the ice-cream maker and mix away. Makes about 6 cups.
Berry-berry good! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

Contessa, I adapted your recipe and made some frozen blueberry yogurt, which is freezing now, and based on the tastings I've had as it freezes it's going to be good. I used a quart of plain low-fat yogurt, about 3/4 cup of Splenda, three cups of frozen blueberries, partially thawed, and a couple of tablespoons of rum (didn't have any vodka, and I read that some alcohol helps to keep the ice crystals smaller. The only problem is that it is a little more than my ice cream maker is supposed to hold, so as it freezes it's coming out of the top. Next time I'll make a smaller batch!

I love this ice cream maker! Have made fattening stuff like mint chocolate chip and bubble gum for the grans. We like the lime sherbet that is in the recipe book. I always keep my "bowl" in the freezer for the summer- it's ready when I get the urge!

This is a great site for ice creams, gelatos and sorbets.

Gelati and Sorbetti
http://italianfood.about.com/od/italiandesserts/a/blr0115.htm?r=et

Delicioso!!


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

I made a delicious blueberry frozen yogurt last week, however, now that it's been in the freezer for a couple of days it's hard as a rock. I thought by putting some alcohol in it I wouldn't have that problem. Any ideas?

I really don't. I usually find that things turn out a tiny bit softer than usual with this freezer. Sorry

I don't want to say the obvious....ok, I will....leave it out for a couple of minutes. Other than that, don't know....perhaps too much liquid. Good Luck!


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

A couple of minutes wouldn't do it as hard as this stuff is. I left it out around an half hour and I could scoop some off the top then. I added no liquid at all, just yogurt and blueberries with splenda and some rum. I found another site that suggested that you need to add at least one ounce of alcohol for each cup of cream (or yogurt in my case), so I'm going to try that next time. I only added a couple of tablespoons for a quart. That site also suggested that part of the problem was using an artificial sweetener instead of real sugar. Apparently something about the sugar helps to keep the recipe from freezing solid.

Try placing the container in a larger container of HOT water. That will do the trick!

Thanks Elizabeth.

While I appreciate the suggestions on how to soften the froyo after it's gotten too hard, that really isn't the solution I'm looking for. If you have two quarts of product that you will be eating one scoop at a time, and you continually soften and refreeze it, then the texture suffers dramatically over time.

When you buy it in the store, it doesn't have that characteristic. I think that is probably due to the additives such as guar gum, etc., as well as granulated sugar and whole milk yogurt, which I choose to omit.

I'd like to figure out how to make frozen yogurt that doesn't get that hard to begin with.

I love making tangerine sorbet, except for hand juicing 18 tangerines! My secret is to add a pinch of cayanne pepper...makes everyone go "OOOO what is that, this is soooo good with a lil kick!"