Recipe: DJ Olsen’s Hachiya Persimmon Sorbet

Before the holidays, DJ Olsen told us about his no-fail technique for creamy sorbet. The key, he explained, is creating an invert sugar. Below he explains how he does it for his Hachiya Persimmon Sorbet. This is a method for making sorbets of all types. Generally, with this particular method, sorbet ratios are as follows: 100% fruit purée to 100% sugar syrup (recipe follows) to 50% filtered water. However, since Hachiya persimmon purée is particularly sweet, we’ve found cutting down the amount of sugar syrup used, upping the fruit purée, and adding some acid (in the form of lemon juice) makes for a more delicious sorbet which also retains its special orange color. As to the three sugars used in the syrup (sucrose in the form of granulated sugar, maltose in the form of corn syrup, and powdered dextrose), they combine with fructose (in the persimmon pulp) to form an invert sugar, which in turn helps prevent crystallization in the sorbet, keeping it creamy as it freezes. It was fortunate this year at the market that Jeff Rieger of Penryn Specialities had frozen hachiya persimmon pulp for sale. But it’s easy to make. Just take very ripe hachiyas, scoop the flesh into a food mill and purée, then proceed with the recipe.

Keep reading for DJ’s recipe…