What's For Dessert: Chocolate-Espresso Sorbet

Tonight's dessert recipe comes from another episode of the Barefoot Contessa. I've never made sorbet before, but given it has fewer fat and calories than the full-on ice cream we've been making of late, it seems about time I give a lighter recipe a try. I doubled the amount of cinnamon that was required in the original recipe (I'm a bit of a cinnamon nut) -- if you're not that big a fan, definitely take it back a notch. All in all, a good addition to my frozen-dessert repertoire, though for me it didn't quite have the same satisfying taste as the dairy version.

Chocolate-Espresso Sorbet (printer-friendly version)

makes 6+ servings

3/4 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup cacoa powder (I used Dagoba cacao powder)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

3 oz boiling water

1 1/2 tablespoons kahlua [optional]

1. Make the espresso by adding 3 oz boiling water to 1 heaping tablespoon of instant espresso powder. Alternately, if you have an espresso maker, you can just make one shot of espresso.

2. Combine the sugar, cacao powder, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in a small sauce pot. Stir in the water and prepared espresso. Warm over low heat until all ingredients are dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat.

3. Stir in the kahlua.

4. Pour the mixture into a bowl with a lid, and refrigerate until very cool. (At least one hour.)

5. Prepare the sorbet per your ice cream maker's instructions. Serve immediately, or if the sorbet is overly soft, spoon into a dish with a lid and freeze for an hour or overnight.

(adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe)