Blackcurrant ripple goat’s milk sorbet

Summer

Blackcurrants are the tannin blood of July; wild and sour things, broken by the bridle of sugar and heat. The blackcurrant is a complex yet reassuring fruit and perfect with the youth-like flavour of milk. Fresh goat’s milk, which I’m using here, makes a wonderful sorbet. I like to add a little goat’s yoghurt too, because I like the zing. Honey alone sweetens the sorbet itself and I add thyme because it feels so right. The blackcurrant gets rippled through the churned sorbet, just before it goes into the freezer, which creates this amazing contrast of flavours.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

500ml (17fl oz) goat’s milk
100g (3½oz) runny honey
2 thyme sprigs
Small pinch of fine sea salt
250ml (9fl oz) goat’s milk yoghurt

For the compote

200g (7oz) blackcurrants
50g (1¾oz) unrefined caster sugar

Method

First, make the compote. Place the blackcurrants in a pan with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook for 1–2 minutes over a low heat. You’re looking for a very lightly cooked compote with a little sharpness. Allow the compote to cool, then transfer to the fridge to chill.

Make the sorbet base. Pour the goat’s milk into a clean pan and add the honey, thyme sprigs and salt. Warm the milk until the honey has dissolved, then remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Remove the thyme sprigs and stir in the yoghurt.

Churn the sorbet base in an ice-cream machine until soft-set, then transfer to a tub and stir through the chilled compote. Place the tub in the freezer, until needed. (You may need to churn the sorbet in two batches, using half the compote each time.)

Remove the sorbet from the freezer at least 25 minutes before you intend to serve it. Scoop the sorbet out with a hot scoop or spoon and serve in bowls or cones.

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