Because no two batches of fruit have the same sweetness, it’s important to adjust the mix before freezing. This will affect more than flavor because sugar lowers the freezing point of water; so the sweeter your mix, the slushier your sorbet. Too little sugar and the sorbet will be icy hard. Some chefs use a saccharometer (which gauges a liquid’s density by how much of the instrument floats above the surface), but a large uncooked egg stands in quite well (see step 4). Watermelon is one of the simplest flavors to make, since it requires no added water. Follow the amounts in the chart on page 485 to make the suggested flavor variations. When using only juice, you can skip the first step. Citrus fruit can be squeezed by hand. For the kiwi and pineapple sorbets, you will need to add fresh lime or lemon juice along with water in the first step. All liquids should be strained into a deep bowl or plastic container as directed. If desired, add up to 3 tablespoons of other flavorings such as liqueur before adding the simple syrup.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart

　　3 cups cubed watermelon (about one-eighth of a whole melon)

　　1 cup Simple Syrup (page 485), plus more if needed

　　

Step 1

Make puree and strain Place fruit (and water, when using) in a food processor, and process until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a deep bowl or a large glass measuring cup, pressing on solids with a flexible spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Don’t press too hard, or some of the seeds (if there are any) may be forced through the strainer into the liquid. Discard any solids that remain in the strainer.

　　

Step 2

Sweeten puree and chill Transfer strained puree (or, for citrus sorbets, strained juice) to a deep bowl or plastic storage container. Add simple syrup (start with 1 cup syrup, then add more as needed) and stir until it is well combined. (To determine whether you need more syrup, gently drop a just-cleaned and dried egg into puree and push to submerge completely; when the sugar content is right, a piece of egg about the size of a quarter should be exposed. If the egg doesn’t float to the top, add more syrup; if too much egg is exposed, add more fruit puree.) Cover bowl or container, and refrigerate until completely chilled before freezing, at least 1 hour (or overnight).

　　

Step 3

Freeze Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sorbet to a large airtight container; freeze at least 2 hours (or overnight) before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2008 by Martha Stewart. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning, daily national syndicated program, and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio, channel 112 on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; and provides a wealth of ideas and information on www.marthastewart.com.