This luscious sorbet is easily made by hand, but it is important to alternately freeze and blend or process the mixture five or six times to get the best result. If you make lots of ice cream and sorbets, it is worth investing in an electric ice cream maker.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 150g/ ½ cup easter sugar

• 225g/2 cups fresh or frozen blackcurrants

• 5ml/1 tsp lemon juice

• 30ml/2 tbsp creme de cassis or other blackcurrant liqueur (optional)

• 2 eggs whites (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour 300ml/1¼ cups water into a saucepan and add the sugar. Place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then set the syrup aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, cook the blackcurrants in a saucepan with 30ml/2 tbsp water over a low heat for 5-7 minutes until tender.

3. Press the cooked blackcurrants and their juice through a sieve placed over a jug. Stir the resulting blackcurrant puree into the syrup with the lemon juice and the blackcurrant liqueur, if using. Allow to cool completely, then chill for 1 hour.

4. Pour the chilled blackcurrant syrup into a freezeproof bowl; freeze until slushy, removing and whisking occasionally until it reaches this point. Whisk the egg whites, if using, in a grease-free bowl until they form soft peaks, then gently fold into the semi frozen blackcurrant mixture.

5. Freeze the mixture again until firm, then spoon into a food processor or blender and process. Alternately freeze and process or blend until completely smooth. Serve the sorbet straight from the freezer.

Nutritional Information (Per portion):

• Energy 103Kcals/438KJ

• Protein 1.3g

• Fat 0g

• Saturated fat 0g

• Carbohydrate 24.2g

• Sugar 24.2g

• Fibre (NSP) 1.3g

• Calcium 25mg