Berry Goat Cheese Sherbet

Berry season is in full swing in Louisiana.  The warm winter has brought out the strawberries early, which have been available at the farmers market for weeks.  Blueberries are starting to bloom and fruit and will ready to pick soon.  I have two small blueberries bushes in my backyard that are full of ripening fruit!  It looks like I will actually get about a pint of blueberries off of them this year!

While browsing through some food blogs the other week, I came upon a recipe for a strawberry, blackberry and goat cheese sorbet.  My first reaction? Why haven't I thought about using goat cheese in a sherbet base before?  I previouly made a decadent Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Roasted Cherries from Jeni's ice cream cookbook, but the idea of using goat cheese to add creaminess to a fruity sorbet somehow escaped me.  It is such a good idea!  The tangy and tart goat cheese pairs wonderfully with the sweet fruit.  I made few alterations to the original recipe to make it my own but the concept is the same.  Enjoy!

Berry Goat Cheese Sherbet
Makes 3 cups

Fresh berries are best but feel free to use frozen if they are out of season.  Because of the high fruit (and thus water) content, the sherbet is best eaten straight out of the machine.  If you freeze it in the freezer, no worries, just set it out on the counter for a few minutes before scooping.

1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 pound blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons brandy
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt
10 ounces goat cheese

If you are using frozen berries, thaw before beginning recipe.  Place berries, sugar and brandy in a medium bowl.  Stir until sugar begins to dissolve.  Let mixture sit at room temperature for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Transfer macerated berries to a food processor.  Add lemon juice and salt and pulse to combine.  Crumble goat cheese into food processor and then pulse to combine well.  Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl.  Pour sherbet base through sieve to remove skin and seeds. 

Place sherbet base in the refrigerator and fully chill, about two hours. Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Place plastic or parchment over sherbet (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.