Sugar-Free Pear and Crabapple Sorbet

sugar-free pear crabapple sorbet- notice the icy texture and how it will not hold a shape (photo by jhy)

You will need:

• 2/3 c crabapple juice
• 2/3 c sugar substitute such as Splenda or Stevia (I used Splenda)
• 2 T. fresh lemon or lime juice
• 4 c coarsely chopped pears

saucepan 8x8 metal cake pan with lid or foil blender or food processor spoons, spatulas, etc Now that I know what the texture of a sorbet should be like, I decided to adapt one of the recipes that uses a sugar substitute. I did like the flavor of the Crabapple-Pear Sorbet, but really hate using so much sugar. The results with the substitute were not very good.

sugar-free pear crabapple sorbet after blending and before freezing (photo by jhy)

In a saucepan, combine juice, sugar substitute and citrus juice. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Cool to room temperature. Add the pears and puree in blender or processor until smooth. Pour into an 8x8 inch metal pan, cover and freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight. I let it freeze overnight.

sugar-free pear crabapple sorbet after freezing- you can only shave the surface, it's so icy (photo by jhy)

When I tried to dish this up with an ice cream scoop, it would not come out of the pan. It is full of ice crystals and was too hard to do anything but shave the surface. I let the pan sit out for 15 minutes and tried again. This time I was able to dish some up, but it does not hold the shape of the scoop at all. I even tried to press it into a ball, but it would not stick. The texture is much icier than the sugared sorbet, more like a thick slushie, although the flavor is good. This recipe has less crabapple and more pear, making it a little less tart, and a lighter pink color. The Sugar-Free Pear and Crabapple Sorbet would be a refreshing dessert on a hot day, but it's not nearly as good as the real thing.