Dessert is Delicious: Horchata Sorbet

A few weeks ago I had the great good fortune of dining at Mas Tacos for the first time. All I have to say is: Yes, please! Since then, I have been back three times and I fully intend to go once a week for the rest of my life. I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food but I love everything that Mas Tacos has fed me. My favorite so far: a fried avocado taco, creamy and warm and topped with crunchy, tangy red cabbage slaw. To go with it, a refreshing watermelon agua fresca. 

On my second visit my lovely friend Katie (who is now in Spain) ordered a horchata, a drink flavored with rice, almonds, vanilla and cinnamon. I immediately ran home and tried to make horchata ice cream. I'm not going to lie to you, it was a miserable failure!  

Who was I kidding? I, having never made horchata before, am obviously not going to be able to top Mas Tacos. My lazy yet wonderful solution? Horchata sorbet. I bought horchata from Mas Tacos and popped it into my ice cream machine. Delicious. 

No ice cream maker? No problem. Make granita! Put your horchata in a shallow baking dish in the freezer and scrape with a fork every 40 minutes or so until it looks like an italian ice. 

I used 4.5 cups of horchata (makes about a quart of sorbet). That means you need to buy three glasses at Mas Tacos (you WILL have some left over to drink). It's important that you ask for "no ice." If you want your sorbet to have more of an ice cream consistency, use 4 cups horchata and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Freeze overnight before serving. Recommended toppings: slivered almond and cajeta. 

Beer is Delicious: Chocolate Stout Sorbet

Stout and chocolate have so very much in common. For starters, I love them both dearly. They are thick, smooth, creamy, nutty and, if you're dealing with the good stuff, bittersweet. When combined they make an intensely deep and rich flavor.

For the last few weeks I haven't been able to get enough frozen treats. The weather has been hovering around 100 degrees every day and I'm certain I get sunburned just by looking out the window. Yesterday I made chocolate stout sorbet and we ate it just as the sun was going down. I put the first bite in my mouth and breathed a sigh of relief; for the first time in ages, I was cold!

The best part about chocolate stout sorbet is it's simplicity. It has only three ingredients: chocolate syrup, espresso, and stout. I used Rogue Chocolate Stout for extra chocolaty goodness.

The sorbet comes out looking like frozen brownie batter. It is not overly sweet, so I topped it with a light drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. 

Chocolate Stout Sorbet:

-serves four

1 1/4 cups chocolate stout 

1 1/2 cups of your favorite chocolate syrup 

1 shot espresso 

Make sure all ingredients are VERY cold. Whisk to combine. Follow manufacturer instructions for your ice cream machine. Let sorbet set in freezer for at least eight hours before serving.