Fresh Raspberry Sorbet with Lime & Honey
A simple frozen treat celebrating garden-to-table traditions and the sweet inheritance of green thumbs
The Dinner Bell is a love letter to food, family, and memory. It's where I share heritage recipes, revive forgotten dishes, and pair them with stories and sips from my California kitchen. I recreate the original, zhuzh up the flavor when needed, and offer adaptations for how we eat today, so don't miss a bite. Subscribe and join me at the table every week.
As we wrap up this month celebrating fruits, gardening, and homemade frozen treats, I find myself thinking about the dirt under my fingernails and the deeper connections that draw me to the earth. I garden without gloves because I need to feel the soil directly, scraping through it with my bare hands. There's something about that unfiltered contact with the ground that speaks to me, perhaps the same instinct that draws me to earthy Pinot Noirs and wild mushrooms.
My parents understood the importance of connecting us to our food from an early age. They'd take us on adventures to orchards and farms where we could pluck fruit straight from the branch and pull vegetables from the ground, dirt still clinging to their roots. I carry vivid memories of reaching through thorny raspberry canes, that sweet-tart burst on my tongue, juice painting my fingers crimson. Those experiences planted something deep in me that continues to grow.
When I settled in Palo Alto in my twenties, I created my first true garden - roses, fruits, vegetables, herbs. Each move to a new home brought opportunities to expand: tomatoes, green beans, berries, different varieties of lettuce. I remember carefully nurturing one special vine plant until it was strong enough to transplant to my dad's yard, where it flourished under his devoted care.
This love of cultivation runs deep in my family lineage. Great Grandpa Pop was legendary for his garden. Uncle Eric possesses an intuitive knowledge of growing seasons in Wisconsin. Grandpa John tended both restaurant gardens and his cherished tomato patches in later years. My father found joy in tending his fruit trees and grapevines. We've been connected to the soil for generations, each of us finding our own way to honor that relationship.
Now, as late spring transitions into early summer, we're entering that magical season where everything begins producing at once - the perfect backdrop for ice cream making and fresh desserts like this raspberry sorbet. There's profound satisfaction in creating something beautiful from what you've grown with your own hands. Perhaps that's the secret ingredient that makes it all taste so extraordinary.
There's a beautiful simplicity to sorbet that connects us to culinary traditions across cultures. After weeks of making sherbet and ice cream, I've discovered just how accessible these frozen treats truly are. Sorbet might be the most straightforward of all—a pure expression of fruit, sweetness, and creativity.
Having an ice cream maker certainly streamlines the process, helping to avoid those pesky ice crystals, but the fundamental magic lies in the harmonious combination of fruit, sugar, and a few complementary ingredients. The result is always a delightful sensory experience that comes together with surprising ease.
Though I must confess: no matter how simple these frozen treats are to make, they rarely last long in my household! A freshly churned batch often disappears within minutes, leaving only empty containers and the inevitable question: "When are you making more?" But isn't that the true measure of a successful recipe?
This particular raspberry sorbet was born from necessity and inspiration. I had raspberries in the refrigerator intended for another purpose, but they were quickly approaching the end of their prime. Rather than let them go to waste, I decided to transform them into something special. I knew sorbet required no dairy, just fruit and sugar at its most basic, making it the perfect rescue mission for my berries.
I added my own twist with a touch of clover honey for depth and lime juice for brightness (lemon had been featuring prominently in my recent recipes, and I wanted to showcase lime's distinctive character). The lime might reflect my deep appreciation for Mexican cuisine—though I'm not Mexican by heritage, I adore the vibrant flavors and ingenious acid balance in Mexican cooking.
This frozen treat represents what I love most about home cooking: the ability to create something magnificent from simple ingredients, guided by intuition and personal preference. It's a fun food project that delivers not just a refreshing dessert, but flavorful joy and lasting memories. I encourage you to give it a try. I promise you won't regret it!
Raspberry Sorbet
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 2 to 24 hours
Churning Time: 25-35 minutes
Yield: 1 quart
Equipment
Chinois cone-shaped sieve (for seed removal)
Ingredients
5 cups raspberries
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice
Pinch of salt
1 tsp clover honey
Instructions
In a food processor, combine raspberries, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Process until completely smooth and sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure even mixing
Drizzle in the teaspoon of honey and pulse a few times to incorporate
Pour the puree through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Use a spatula to press the mixture through, extracting as much liquid as possible while leaving the seeds behind
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to ensure the mixture is cold enough for churning
Pour the chilled raspberry mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning sorbet, about 25 minutes
Transfer the churned sorbet to airtight freezer-safe containers. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sorbet to prevent ice crystals from forming. Seal and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving (4 hours for a firmer consistency)
Chef’s Tips
For the best flavor, use ripe, in-season raspberries. Store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 2 weeks for optimal flavor.
Special Diets
This raspberry sorbet is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it perfect for those with common food sensitivities. It's already relatively low in sugar, but for those seeking alternatives, you could substitute the granulated sugar with:
Maple syrup or honey (use about 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup)
Monk fruit sweetener (adjust to taste)
Note: Substitutions can affect taste, texture, and moisture content.
Presentation Ideas
Serve generous scoops in chilled wine glasses topped with Prosecco bubbles for instant sophistication, or create elegant parfaits layered with mascarpone and crushed biscotti cookies. For family gatherings, present it family-style in a large, beautiful bowl surrounded by shortbread cookies and fresh mint sprigs.
The goal? Transforming simple sorbet into Sunday's showstopper because even the most refreshing desserts deserve a little ceremony.
This raspberry sorbet got the full cocktail treatment in Pairings & Pours! Just like that Fizzy Scoop Tipple with strawberry ice cream and basil that everyone loved, I created something special with this bright, tart raspberry sorbet—but took it in a completely different direction.
We're talking Prosecco floats for instant elegance, Limoncello for an Italian twist, and my new Raspberry Margarita with tequila, Chambord, and a Tajin-sugar rim that'll make you rethink frozen cocktails.
If you missed Pairings & Pours, go back and check it out for the complete list of beverage recommendations, cocktail recipes, and all the delicious details on turning this sorbet into your new favorite summer sipper.
One of our readers shared a memory that brought me right back to childhood: "When I was little, we used old wooden pails that you hand mixed, and of course, all of us kids would fight over who got to go first!" Isn't that just perfect? That's the special joy of homemade frozen treats, they create moments and memories that stick around long after the last spoonful.
From the Archives
If you missed our other icy-cool adventures from this month, here's your chance to catch up:
No. 60: Lemon Ice Cream - Bright, creamy, and divine on a hot afternoon
No. 62. Strawberry Honey Ice Cream - Sweet summer deliciousness with a squeeze of honey
Each one tells its own story, carries its own memories, and brings its own kind of joy to the table. That's the magic of cooking from the heart, every recipe becomes a little piece of who we are, shared with the people we love.
So grab those raspberries, fire up that ice cream maker (or dust off that old wooden pail if you're feeling nostalgic), and let's keep making memories, one scoop at a time.
These Ice creams are so good they really melt in your mouth! My favorite was the red berry but that’s because I do love raspberries the best
But all were good and so great when it is so hot out. You eat you dinner and wait for the first taste of the ice cream. Try it you will love it