Many simple sorbet recipes only feature three ingredients – fruit, sugar, and water. When you have perfectly ripe fruit, this may be enough. But sometimes you just want to jazz up simple and add different layers of flavor. A small amount of any of these additions can elevate your sorbet and give it a little something extra.

Add Jam

Jam is wonderful for both the flavor and texture of your sorbet. The high levels of pectin in jams and jellies will help keep your sorbet soft, even when kept in the freezer.

Plus, you can use the opportunity to add a concentrated burst of another flavor. Try using the same fruit that you use fresh in your sorbet. The cooked fruit will have a difference in flavor that will complement the fresh fruit. Or, go for something completely different that has interesting spices and acids.

Grilled Fruit

Just like cooking jam, grilling can give fruits an entirely different flavor. Peaches and pineapple are two fruits that are popular to grill, because their firm flesh holds up well. Giving them a light char on the grill before cooking and pureeing them will infuse a caramelized, smoky flavor to your sorbet.

Citrus Zest

Many sorbet recipes call for a little lemon or lime juice to add some acidity to a very sweet fruit, but adding the zest can give another layer of flavor. The outer skin of citrus fruits contains the essential oils that really give a fruit its fragrance. While lemon juice may just taste tart to people, the zest has more of the flavor of the fruit. Use a small grater to take off a thin layer from the outside of the fruit before you juice it, making sure not to get down to the bitter, white pith.

A tablespoon will perk up a batch of sorbet.

Alcohol

Another common addition to sorbet is alcohol. Frequently, vodka is used because it has a more neutral flavor so a small amount won’t change the sorbet. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip other choices. There are liquors on the market in nearly every flavor, so you can pick one that will compliment your sorbet. This is another addition that will change the finished texture, so only use a small amount unless the recipe already calls for it.

Chunks of Fruit

Many sorbet recipes call for fruit puree or juice. They are created as a smooth dish. However, you can always dice some of the fruit up and throw it in to give additional texture. Different textures are a great way to enhance a dish. Plus, if the fruit is cooked down in your recipe, you can add the raw fruit to add another sense of texture.