Gluten-free blackberry and ginger sorbet with thyme

Gluten-free blackberry and ginger sorbet with thyme: blackberries, fresh ginger, lemon and a little honey – fruity, tart and ice-cold from the blender.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 5 min
• No cooking needed
• Total time: 5 min
• Calories: 120 kcal per serving
• Protein: 2 g
• Fat: 1 g
• Carbs: 24 g

Ingredients

• 1 walnut-sized piece of fresh ginger
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 300g blackberries
• 1 splash of ice-cold water
• 1 tbsp raw (cold-extracted) honey
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme

Method

You’ll need: blender · chopping board · knife

1. Peel and roughly chop the ginger. Put the blackberries and ginger in the blender.
2. Add the lemon juice and honey. Blend everything briefly.
3. If the blackberries are too firm, add ice-cold water a sip at a time until the blades catch properly. Then blend until creamy and sorbet-like.
4. Keep the blender running until the mixture is smooth, icy and an even dark purple. Scrape down the sides once if needed.
5. Pick the thyme leaves. Spoon the sorbet into well-chilled glasses or bowls and sprinkle with the thyme.

Good to know

This sorbet is bright, cool and pleasantly tart. It tastes intensely fruity and the ginger gives it a delicate, fresh heat.

Swaps

Honey → date paste (more fibre) | Blackberries → blueberries (milder, also contain polyphenols) | Thyme → mint (fresher, more delicate flavour) | Water → unsweetened coconut milk (creamier, a little more fat)

Allergens

The recipe is gluten-free. Honey isn't suitable for children under 12 months, and if you're sensitive to plants in the mint family such as thyme, leave it out – the usual kitchen amounts are fine during pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions

Which plant compounds are in blackberries?

Blackberries mainly contain anthocyanins and other polyphenols. These secondary plant compounds are responsible for the colour, the tart notes and part of the typical flavour.

What's special about fresh ginger?

Fresh ginger contains pungent compounds such as gingerols, some of which can turn into shogaols when heated. In a cold sorbet the flavour stays fresher and brighter than in cooked recipes.

Is honey nutritionally different from sugar?

Honey consists mainly of glucose and fructose and also contains small amounts of enzymes, organic acids and plant compounds – but it's still a form of sugar.

Does thyme provide more than flavour?

Thyme contains essential oils such as thymol and carvacrol, which shape its intense aroma. In the small amount used in the sorbet, though, it's clearly about flavour.

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