Homemade Rainbow Sherbet
Not quite ice cream, not quite fruit sorbet, homemade rainbow sherbet is an endless temptation on hot summer days.
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American Sign Language (ASL) was one of my first languages, and as with many things, I have my grandmother to thank for this. When I was a child she worked as a counselor for the deaf and I frequently accompanied her as she traveled around the city. The best days were when we went to the movies. We’d wear earplugs because the sound would be turned WAY up, and then everyone in the audience held balloons so that we could feel the sound vibrations under our fingertips.
After the movie, Baskin Robbins was always on the schedule. We’d gather into a bus and head on over as a group, eager for a refreshing afternoon treat. My job was to take orders and translate them for the person scooping ice cream. And even though there were 31 flavors, there was only ever one on my mind: rainbow sherbet. I always got mine in a sugar cone.
(If you are curious, the way you sign “ice cream” in ASL is to first make a fist. Then you hold your fist in front of your mouth and move it downward twice as if you were licking an ice-cream cone.)
These days, the nearest Baskin Robbins is over 100 miles away from where I live. So you know what that means: we’re going homemade! Luckily, rainbow sherbet is not hard to make. This recipe takes inspiration from no-churn ice cream, meaning you don’t even need an ice cream maker.
My version has three flavors of sherbet made with real fruit. It is inspired by the Baskin Robbins rainbow sherbet, which has tropical pineapple, zesty orange, and pink raspberry flavors.
Not quite ice cream, not quite fruit sorbet, it’s an endless temptation on hot days to have a container of this sherbet tucked away in the freezer. Serve it in a bowl or in a cone, you won’t be disappointed.
More Hot Weather Treats
What is Sherbet?
Sherbet (you may also see it spelled “sherbert”) is a frozen dessert that falls somewhere between classic ice cream and sorbet. Like a sorbet, sherbet is made with fruit puree or fruit juice, which is then made creamier with the addition of dairy. Sherbets can come in any flavor, but rainbow sherbet brings together more than one fruit flavor, usually three. Raspberry, lime, and orange sherbet are the most common rainbow sherbet flavors.
The Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients along with my notes. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.
Orange juice and zest – Fresh is best. If you have time, definitely juice your oranges from scratch. Plus, you can use the leftover peels for zesting.
Raspberries – Unlike the oranges, you can use fresh or frozen raspberries when making the raspberry filling.
Sugar
Frozen pineapple – Frozen pineapple is best for blending.
Pineapple juice