Strawberry Sorbet Calculator
Ingredients Table (Sorted by quantity)
| Ingredient | Quantity (g) |
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Description
The purpose of this recipe calculator is to create a strawberry sorbet that achieves a target sweetness and texture, regardless of natural variability for the fruit itself. This should create a relatively consistent product, even if the strawberries are lower in sugar then is ideal. However, higher-quality and riper strawberries will still produce the best results, even when put through this system. One downside of the concept is that it essentially requires one more specialized tool. That being a refractometer, to actually gauge a proxy for the sugar content in the fruit. Technically if you are sourcing frozen strawberries, a commercial strawberry purée or juice, you could also reference any included nutritional information. Although that was not directly tested yet.
The other qualitative dial the user can decide with this calculator tool, is a specific combination of strawberry juice and strawberry purée. You can set the juice parameter to zero, and simply use blended up strawberries as the primary ingredient. The flavor will still be good, but the seeds and natural fiber do create some subtle grittiness. There is also a natural interference to the sweet and fragrant notes of a strawberry.
That's why it's recommended that you use some combination of juice and purée. There is also a practical maximum to using the juice, because too much risks developing noticeable ice crystals in the final product. Testing was done using fully clarified strawberry juice made with a centrifuge. As well as using the juice as anywhere from 40-55% of the overall product. Right at 50% using the clarified juice was my favorite version, with the most vibrant flavor and naturally intense color. Depending on your resources, you can dial the juice percentage down. You can also use other forms of juicer or filtration to actually create the juice. The vibrancy will be less compared to a centrifuge, but it should still be an improvement from using completely purée.
Some last notes about the ingredients in the calculator. The balancing of the fruit components and sugars is always trying to achieve a total. This total is based on classic tempered serving temperatures. If the recipe needs to be served from colder storage, it introduces a minor alcoholic component. This should be a spirit or extract that is just water and ethanol based, without significant sugar. Vodka, gin, and brandy would all work for a spirit. Vanilla or citrus extracts could also work as a secondary flavor. Click the small arrow next to the alcohol input, this will take you to a converter for ABV to Alcohol By Mass, which is necessary for the calculation. The default value is based on 40% ABV.
*The ingredient list calls for citric acid, in a powder form. However, if available, use a 4:1 ratio of citric acid and malic acid. For whatever the total acid quantity is called for, based on your batch size. This is closer to the natural acid profile of real strawberries.
Recipe Steps
Purée some strawberries based on your estimated batch size. Optionally clarify or otherwise produce some strawberry juice. Measure the brix for the purée, and the juice if using. Round down slightly, as there are other dissolved solids that aren't sugar. Use these values in the calculator. Depending on the sugar quantity for either component, you have 2 options.
You could scale the batch size based on the fruit you have already processed. Attempting to use all of your fruit components.
If you have a specific batch size in mind, or a target ratio of juice and purée, you may need to process more strawberries. If you process significantly more strawberries, combine with the previous strawberries, and double check your sugar values.
After one or both fruit components are measured out, measure the dry ingredients and combine separately. This is the 3 types of sugar, salt, stabilizers, and acid. Separately measure the neutral oil. Separately measure and set aside the alcohol component, if using.
Transfer the strawberry purée into the container of a decently powerful blender. Assuming it doesn't already contain the purée, from previous processing. If you are transferring from a different container because of measuring, be sure to scrape all the strawberry purée from this intermediary container.
If using, measure and transfer the strawberry juice into the blender also. You can also use the strawberry juice to help "rinse" material from a strawberry purée container.
Bring the blender to a moderate speed, until a vortex is forming. Through a shoot in the blended lid, sprinkle in the dry ingredient mixture containing the sugars.
Briefly bring the blender up to a relatively high speed. Drizzle in the neutral oil, followed by the alcoholic component, if using.
Transfer into an airtight storage container.** Otherwise keep the mixture stored in the blender container, with the complete lid.
If using a standard ice cream churn: refrigerate for 6-12 hours, blend one more time, and process according to your specific machine.
**If using a blade-driven frozen dessert machine: instead transfer into the appropriate container for the machine. Place that in the freezer for at least 24 hours, process according to the instructions of your machine. Use the specific Gelato function if using the Ninja Creami.