Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Sorbet

1. As we learn in pastry schools, Dark Chocolate and Water don't love each other : when combined, it ruins the Dark Chocolate. Nevertheless, if you follow the instructions thereafter, everything will be just fine and you shouldn't fear anything

2. Combine in a large saucepan the Sugar (⅔ Cup or 150 g), the Water (2 Cups or 452 g) (at room temperature) and the Dark Chocolate ( 7 oz or 200 g)

3.  Cook on low heat

Scanpan SaucepanCalphalon Nonstick Sauce Pan

4. Keep stirring with a rubber spatula

5.  Cook until the mixture boils

KitchenAid Silicone Spatula SetLe Creuset Silicone Spatula

6. After it first boils, keep cooking and wait 2 minutes

7.  Be careful : it really is hot !

8. After 2 minutes, transfer to a bowl

Stainless Steel Mixing BowlLarge Mixing Bowls, Stainless Steel

9. If you see lumps, it's time to mix with an immersion blender (sometimes called 'hand blender')

10. Hermé recommends cooling the sorbet mix, by placing the bowl on a large bowl filled with ice and water

11. This will cool down the sorbet mix quickly

12. While it's cooling down, stir frequently with a rubber spatula

Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand BlenderImmersion Hand Blender Bamix

13. Hermé says you can churn after it's totally cooled down

14. I prefer to place the batter overnight in the fridge

Food Wrap

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Churning

There are several ice cream makers that you will need to chose from :

Ice Cream Maker with a Freezer Bowl : This ice cream maker has a special bowl, a container that goes into the freezer overnight. Once it's frozen, you put it in your ice cream maker, add your mix, and let the machine stir them until the ice cream is ready.

Ice Cream Maker with a Compressor : This top of the line ice cream maker chills using a compressor. You don't need neither ice nor bowl : you don't need to remember to freeze anything overnight; when you're ready to make ice cream, just add your ingredients and go

If you are using like me an Ice Cream Maker with a Freezer Bowl, you need to place the bowl and the plastic over into the freezer for a few hours

Cuisinart Ice Cream MakerCuisinart Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker

15.  Also, clean and dry the container that will store the ice cream when done, and chill in the freezer until you are done preparing your ice cream or sorbet

Pyrex Glass BakewareGlass Baking Dish with Lid

16. Pour the ice cream mix in an ice cream maker and start churning

At first, the mix is liquid, but gradually, it thickens

In summer, I cover the ice cream maker with aluminium foil

17. You can see here my mix getting thicker

Let the cream churn, and let it get thicker and thicker

18. This should take approx. 25 minutes

19. The result must be thick enough and should not melt on a spoon

20. Pour into the cold container

21. You worked hard and you deserve to get a taste of this beauty !