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Mulled wine spices add vibrant flavor notes to this Mulled Red Wine and Plum Sorbet... A light, refreshing finish to any elegant meal with a sprig of mint and a square of dark chocolate!
Dessert is always a "guilty pleasure," and one I seldom succumb to. Valentine's Day joins Christmas, Thanksgiving, and my birthday as days that I ignore my ridiculous self-discipline, and just savor a dessert! Mulled Red Wine and Plum Sorbet is one I've made a few times over the years. My recipe evolved from this recipe from Epicurious, with fresh plums, red wine, and spices. It is refreshing and light - a perfect finale to our special Valentine's Day menu. I've intensified the mulled wine flavors by adding star anise and clove to the cinnamon stick and black pepper. I think Graham Kerr might approve. 😉
I prefer to regard a dessert as I would imagine the perfect woman: subtle, a little bittersweet, not blowsy and extrovert. Delicately made up, not highly rouged. Holding back, not exposing everything and, of course, with a flavor that lasts.
~~ Graham Kerr
There is a certain appeal to this make-ahead dessert - it must be made in advance and frozen at least an hour prior to serving to harden. The plum purée can be made and chilled up to a day before freezing, and it can be stored in the freezer up to a week. The flexibility of this sorbet allowed me to focus on my starter and main courses. My original "plan" was to make the sorbet the day before, but we planted about 3 dozen plants instead! I did, however, make it early in the day...
When the plates were cleared after our sumptuous meal, I scooped the sorbet into pretty martini glasses, garnished with a square of dark chocolate and a sprig of mint, and served with a tiny glass of port... truly a lovely ending to the meal.
Mulled Red Wine and Plum Sorbet
Mulled wine spices add vibrant flavor notes to this red wine and plum sorbet... A light, refreshing finish to any elegant meal with a sprig of mint and a square of dark chocolate!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ripe red, black, or prune plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 star anise
- 8 black peppercorns
- 2 3- by 1-inch strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Make a spice bag with the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns. (Otherwise you'll need to count and fish them all out before you puree the mixture.)
- Add prepared plums, red wine, sugar, water, spice bag, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt to a heavy medium saucepan and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until plums fall apart, about 25 minutes.
- Discard whole spices and zest. Pour mixture into a deep mixing bowl, and allow it to cool. Purée using an immersion blender* until very smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding any solids.
- Chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
- Freeze purée in ice cream maker, then transfer sorbet to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 1 hour.
- Using an ice cream scoop, place 2 rounded scoops into each glass. Garnish with mint sprig and a square of dark chocolate if desired.
Notes
If you don't have an immersion blender (you need one!), puree in a blender, but cool it first!
Berries work really well in this recipe too!
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 205
Valentine's Day Menu 2016:
Michele says
This is beautiful! Im going to make this for the bridal shower Im hosting in April! The bride is going to LOVE it!
Tamara says
Wow! I feel so honored to have my sorbet included at such a special occasion. Thanks Michele!
Leslie Haasch says
Wine in my sorbet? Um, yes please! This looks beautiful and delicious!
Tamara says
You know what they say about "fruit and booze?" Haha. Thanks Leslie!
Valentina says
I LOVE this recipe, and your pictures are so stunning -- like paintings! 🙂
Tamara says
Thanks Valentina! Photography is my biggest challenge as a food blogger, so I really appreciate the compliment!
pam says
What a gorgeous color! I would love it if you would link it up to Tipsy Tuesday at Grey is the New Black!
Tamara says
Hi Pam! I have been looking for link ups, so I think I will. Thanks!
swayam says
Tamara...you naughty girl!! THIS was definitely beyond mere sustenance...but sooo good for the soul,esp mine!! 😛 LOVE this. ANd the quote, would you believe its one of faves too?? So happy to say that we are FEATURING this gorgeousness on #SaucySaturday! Thanks so much for continually blowing us away with your beautiful creations... <3
Tamara says
Yay! Thanks Swayam! You're a woman after my own heart... I love that you appreciate the quotes on my blog 😉 As always, I love #SaucySaturday! Have a super weekend!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
Oh my goodness gracious, Tamara. You've completely blown me away. The sorbet on its own had me on my knees. But then the dark chocolate and the mint? Can you open a restaurant, please? In my house? Thanks for linking up at #SaucySaturdays.
Tamara says
Thanks so much Christine! I'm not a dessert maker (or eater most of the time) but this is a lovely combination, and the perfect ending to our Valentine's Day meal...
Tamara says
I'd love to make it for you Christine! You are just my kinda gal 🙂 I love #SaucySaturdays because I feel a connection with some of the bloggers that meet there... Have a good weekend!
Platter Talk says
Wow, does this look wonderful! I love your use of plums and the addition of red wine, perfect pairing!
Tamara says
Thanks Dan! "Perfect pairing" is one of my favorite terms when it comes to cooking!
Dana says
This looks and sounds delicious! I recently used wine in a frozen yogurt for the first time and it turned out really well. I love the use of plums here, too!
Tamara says
Thanks Dana! I'll have to look for a recipe... I love frozen yogurt too! I just try to keep dessert calories fairly low and flavors pretty light. 🙂
Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat says
Such a beautiful color! I want to eat through the screen! Love the flavors in this sorbet! Great recipe!
Tamara says
Thanks Sherri! I was pretty tickled that the sorbet just happened to match the flowers my husband sent me. 😉
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Absolutely gorgeous dessert. I don't know if I could eat it -- I'd be so busy marveling and the beautiful shade of plum. Great recipe and I could see this at the end of a meal. Thank you!
Tamara says
Thanks Marisa! I've made a variation of this sorbet for years, and I think the color is so lovely. 🙂
Danya says
I'm right there with you on the lack of self-discipline on Valentine's Day (and all the other holidays)! I wish I had this recipe when I lived in my last place back in Victoria - I had a big plum tree in my back yard and it definitely delivered! Love love love the colours in this dessert! It looks so tasty too 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!!
Tamara says
A plum tree in the back yard would be so amazing! I used black plums, and when combined with the red wine, they produced such a gorgeous color... Thanks so much!
Kathrina says
The flavors in this sound incredible and that color is gorgeous! I love that it can be made ahead so I can dream of the frozen treat waiting for me at the end of a meal.
Tamara says
It really is nice to be able to serve a lovely dessert after an elegant meal, and have it ready to scoop into pretty glassware... Thanks for stopping by Kathrina!