Grape sorbet

Sweet muscat grapes have a wonderful perfume and flavor that create a great sorbet, especially when enhanced with a little sweet muscat wine.

* Makes 5 cups

• 2 cups loose muscat grapes (or any sweet green or red grapes)
• 1 cup sugar syrup
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup muscat or any favorite dessert wine, plus more to serve
• 1 cup rice, soy, or oat milk

Halve the grapes and remove any seeds. In a food processor, blend the grapes with the sugar syrup to a fine purée. Add the remaining ingredients and blend smooth.

Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions, or pour into a freezer container and follow the hand-mixing directions. When almost firm, freeze in a freezer container until firm or until required.

Serve scooped into tiny bowls or glasses and drizzle on a little more muscat or dessert wine.

Variations:

• Pear sorbet

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the grapes with 2 large ripe sweet pears, peeled and chopped. Serve with a shot of a pear liqueur.

• Currant sorbet

Replace the grapes of the basic recipe with black, red, or white currants, with extra sugar syrup added to taste. Serve with a shot of cassis.

• Lychee sorbet

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the grapes with 2 (12-oz.) cans of pitted lychees, drained, and replace the sugar syrup with 1 cup of the lychee syrup. Add 3 tablespoons light corn syrup.

• Cape gooseberry sorbet

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the grapes with cape gooseberries without their paper cases. Serve topped with a gooseberry in its paper case.

• Cranberry sorbet

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing grapes with cranberries and muscat with cassis. Cook the cranberries in the sugar syrup for 5 to 10 minutes or until they have opened, then push through a sieve and continue with the recipe.