Cranberry Sherbet (Dairy-Free)
 
Cook time
Total time
 
Sweet-tart homemade cranberry sherbet made with loads of real cranberries, apple cider and coconut milk. A seasonal, refreshing dairy-free sherbet -- perfect alone or topped with bubbly water for a float/freeze.
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Makes: 2 (two) 1½ quart batches (see note)
Ingredients
  • 16 oz fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups apple cider (or apple juice)
  • 1½ - 2 cups sugar (see note)
  • 1 packet gelatin
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 1 cup light canned coconut milk, well-shaken
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
Instructions
  1. Pre-freeze the insert of an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. (Overnight is usually recommended.)
  2. In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, apple cider and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and cranberries begin to burst. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. While cranberries cook, pour ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over the top. Allow to "bloom" (thicken) several minutes.
  4. Stir gelatin into hot cranberries until gelatin is fully dissolved. Allow mixture to cool.
  5. Add cooled cranberry mixture to a blender, and add light coconut milk and lime juice. Blend until very smooth. Allow mixture to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until cold. (At this stage, you can store the mixture in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just blend again briefly before churning.)
  6. Pour *half* of the chilled mixture into the pre-frozen bowl of your ice cream maker and churn for 30 mins. (Reserve the other half for another batch; see note regarding yield.) Transfer to a loaf pan or sealable container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Enjoy!
Notes
Regarding yield: This will make an extra large batch of sherbet base -- a double batch in most average size ice cream makers. (This is 100% due to the fact that I didn't want to mess with saving half a packet of gelatin. Better more sherbet than not enough!) Freeze half now, and keep the other half of the base in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Don't forget to re-freeze your ice cream maker insert when you've completed the first batch!
Regarding sugar: I've made this recipe several times with both 1.5 and 2 cups of sugar. I prefer it with less (it's still a fair amount, but it balances the berries' tartness), but you can increase the sugar if you're after a notably sweet dessert.
Cook time does not account for pre-freezing the ice cream maker insert, chilling the mixture prior to freezing or hard-freezing the sherbet after it churns.
Recipe by the pig & quill at https://thepigandquill.com/cranberry-sherbet-freezes-dairy-free/