Cactus Fruit Sorbet Recipes

PRICKLY PEAR SORBET

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Wearing rubber gloves, wash the cactus pears and with paper towels, rub off any prickly fuzz left on the skin. Halve the pears lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh and seeds and put them into a blender, leaving the thick shells intact. Put the shells onto the baking sheets and freeze them until hard, about 1 hour.
• Add the syrup and lime juice to the blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the flavor with more syrup or lime juice, to taste. Strain the puree through a fine sieve, discarding any seeds and pulp.
• Pour the sorbet into the frozen shells, smoothing the surface so they are level. Cover with plastic wrap and return the filled shells to the freezer for at least 6 hours. Frozen sorbet shells may be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and kept in the freezer for 1 week.
• Put the sugar and water into a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and cool before using. Syrup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, for 1 month.

CACTUS FIG AND LIME SORBET

Steps:

• Remove the outer skin of the cactus figs to expose the light green flesh. Push the flesh through a mesh sieve into a bowl, collecting the juice and trapping the seeds and pulp.
• Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Stir cactus juice and lime juice into the sugar water. Mix thoroughly; chill for 1 hour.
• Pour cactus-lime mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions, about 20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

CACTUS SORBET

Steps:

• Wearing your rubber gloves, wash and skin pears. Be careful of the very tiny spines. Add all ingredients except mint to a blender and puree until smooth. Reduce liquid in half on medium heat. Strain and let cool.
• Note: Before freezing the puree, adjust the flavor with sugar and cranberry juice, to taste. Freeze puree in an ice cream maker and you're ready to scoop.
• Garnish with fresh mint.

CACTUS-PEAR SORBETS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Wearing rubber gloves, wash cactus pears and with paper towels rub off any prickly fuzz left on skin. Halve cactus pears lengthwise and with a spoon carefully scoop flesh with seeds into a blender, leaving thick shells intact. Add syrup and lime juice to blender and purée until smooth. Pour cactus-pear purée through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard seeds. Put cactus shells on baking sheet and freeze while making sorbet.
• Freeze purée in an ice-cream maker. Scoop sorbet into frozen shells, smoothing surfaces so they are level. Freeze filled cactus shells at least 6 hours, or until frozen hard. Frozen sorbets in shells may be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and kept in freezer 1 week.

CACTUS FRUIT SORBET

Steps:

• Peel cactus pears. If using plums, peel and remove pits. Place prepared cactus pears or plums in a food processor bowl or blender container. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Press cactus pear mixture through a sieve, reserving pulp and juice; discard seeds. If using plums, do not sieve. (You should have about 1 cup cactus pear or plum puree.)
• In a medium saucepan, combine cactus pear pulp and juice or plum puree with 3/4 cup of the strawberries, cut up plums, sugar, and water. Bring just to boiling, stirring often. Reduce heat. Cook fruit mixture, uncovered, on low heat for 35 to 45 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about one-fourth, adding the black pepper during the last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired.
• Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour or until chilled. Turn mixture into a 9x9x2-inch pan. Cover and freeze until firm. Break frozen mixture into chunks; turn into a chilled mixing bowl. Beat mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until slightly slushy, then on medium-high speed until smooth. Fold in remaining strawberries. Return to pan. Cover and freeze until firm.
• Meanwhile, chill desired serving bowls. Scoop and serve several small scoops of sorbet into each chilled serving bowl. Garnish with cactus pear wedges, if desired.
• Nutrition facts per serving: 153 cal., 1 g total fat (0 g sat fat), 0 mg chol., 1 mg sodium, 38 g carbo., 2 g fiber, and 1 g pro. Daily Values: 3% vit A, 40% vit C, 0% calcium, and 1% iron.