Peach sorbet recipe

Peachy keen

Humans have been cultivating peaches for centuries. Even though the plant’s scientific name – prunus persica – literally means ‘Persian plum’, it’s believed that peaches originate from China. Evidence indicates that people first started domesticating peach trees in the country over 7,000 years ago.(1) From there, the fruit spread to Japan, India, Europe, and the rest of the world. As well as being prized for their sweet-tasting fruit, peach trees are popular thanks to the beauty of their flowers. In Japan, the stunning pink blossoms attract admirers every spring (despite being overshadowed by the more famous cherry blossoms). People also use them as ornamentation during the country’s annual Girls’ Day festival. In addition, peaches have an important symbolic meaning in many cultures. For example, in China they are a symbol of longevity and immortality. Meanwhile, the popular Japanese folktale Momotaro tells the story of a boy born from a peach who defeats a band of demons terrorising his village. In Europe, peaches featured prominently in paintings by renowned artists including Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh. Nowadays, the fruit is a beloved ingredient in an array of dishes, from comforting cobblers to summery peach sorbet. In addition to the sweet and juicy flavour, this popularity is partly due to the wellness-boosting advantages of eating peaches.

The health benefits of peaches

Peaches are rich in several different vitamins and minerals, as well as valuable plant compounds that can improve our health. For starters, peaches contain impressive levels of antioxidants. These help to fight the damage caused by free radicals, protecting your body from diseases and signs of ageing.(2) Further, because peaches are high in fibre, they may assist with healthy digestion and decrease your risk of gut disorders.(3) Like many other fruits, it’s also thought that peaches are good for your heart. Studies indicate that  consuming them could lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of developing heart disease.(4) However, more exploration is required to clarify this effect. Research additionally suggests that peaches may offer some protection against certain types of cancer. This is thanks to the carotenoids, caffeic acid and polyphenols they contain. Studies have found peaches may limit the spread of cancer cells and even kill them.(5) Finally, consuming peaches can also help to keep your skin healthy. From an aesthetic point of view, they may enable the skin to better retain moisture and thereby improve skin texture.(6) In addition, peach extracts applied to the skin could play a role in protecting against UV damage.(7) Sadly, tucking into a peach sorbet won’t work for that one! Because peaches are such a versatile ingredient, it’s easy to add them to your diet. You can enjoy them on their own, as part of a salad or more substantial meal, blended into a smoothie, or baked in a dessert. Whichever you choose, peaches are a great way to boost your nutrient intake and improve your health. Which is exactly why we’ve created this recipe for peach sorbet!

Fresh and fruity: our peach sorbet recipe

Moving on to how to make peach sorbet, it will please you to know that it’s surprisingly simple! Unlike making vegan ice cream, there’s no need to substitute any of the classic ingredients to create a plant-based version. As you might expect, the peaches themselves make up the bulk of the mixture. To them you add a sweetener of your choice to ensure your peach sorbet is, well, sweet enough! In the recipe, we recommend using raw honey or agave nectar, depending on your personal preference. You could also try maple syrup, although this will impart a stronger flavour of its own on your peach sorbet. Whichever you pick, feel free to adjust the amount you use to make your dessert sweeter or tangier. You’ll notice that this sorbet recipe also calls for lemon juice and a pinch of ground cloves. These give the dish a more complex flavour, with the lemon adding an extra spark of citrus. Meanwhile, the cloves bring a hint of warmth and astringency to the dessert. Just be sparing with the amount you use, as cloves can be a little overpowering! If you don’t like them, it’s perfectly fine to leave this ingredient out. Alternatively, consider making your peach sorbet with a pinch of cinnamon instead. What truly makes this peach sorbet recipe special is the inclusion of a sea buckthorn shot. This adds a refreshing and zingy citrus kick, intense orange colour, plus a whole wealth of health benefits. We’ll come onto those later!

Achieving the perfect texture for your peach sorbet

A key aspect of making any sorbet recipe is getting the consistency right. You want it to be creamy rather than icy, so that it melts in your mouth beautifully. That’s why you need to blend your peach sorbet one more time after freezing and before eating. This will help to prevent ice crystals from forming, and make the mixture velvety smooth. Is your peach sorbet too mushy after the second blend? Simply pop it back into the freezer to solidify a little more. It should be soft enough to scoop with ease, but firm enough to hold its shape in the bowl.

What is sea buckthorn?

With the technical details out of the way, let’s return to our star ingredient: sea buckthorn. People have been using these bright orange berries in traditional medicine for centuries. They grow in clusters on hardy plants that can tolerate salt in the air and therefore thrive in coastal regions. Sea buckthorn berries have a sharp and refreshing citrus taste that matches their vibrant colour. They’re also packed with health-enhancing nutrients that take this peach sorbet to the next level when it comes to wellness.

The health benefits of sea buckthorn

Firstly, sea buckthorn is bursting with all kinds of key vitamins and minerals. These include vitamins C, E and K, as well as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc.(8) Each of these has a vital role to play in our wellbeing. For example, vitamin C is crucial for supporting the immune system and healing wounds.(9) Another valuable nutrient that sea buckthorn provides is beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A. This gives the berries their vibrant orange hue, while also offering us plenty of health benefits. For instance, it helps to support the health of our eyes and protect against diseases that cause vision loss.(10) Beta-carotene may even improve the ability of your eyes to adjust in dim light conditions.(11) Just like peaches, sea buckthorn is good for your heart. One reason for this is the phytosterols the berries contain. Research suggests this compound may decrease levels of bad cholesterol and prevent it from forming harmful blockages in your arteries.(12) Moreover, sea buckthorn is a rare source of plant-based omega-7 fatty acids, which also help with cardiovascular health. Sea buckthorn is additionally rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, which could have anti-cancer properties. Studies indicate it could help prevent and treat cancer, as well as enable patients to recover from chemotherapy more quickly.(13) However, further human trials are required to confirm this. All these potential health benefits, combined with its energising citrus taste, explain why sea buckthorn is such a fabulous addition to our peach sorbet recipe. Unfortunately, the berries are not commonly available in supermarkets. That’s why we recommend using one of our handy shots instead.

Introducing our superb sea buckthorn shots

Our Organic Sea Buckthorn Shots are 100% pure juice made entirely from sea buckthorn berries. We source the berries from small farms in Eastern Europe, where they’re picked by hand and immediately frozen. This ensures that their nutrients are preserved without the need for any additives. Our team juices the berries in small batches to ensure every single shot is fresh. We don’t add any sweeteners or dilute the juice in any way, so you get the most potent health benefits. Then we ship the shots to you in environmentally friendly glass bottles, which you can reuse or recycle when empty. Don’t fancy making peach sorbet each time you want a sea buckthorn shot? No problem! There are heaps of other ways to enjoy them. Most obviously, you can simply drink them neat. We love having one first thing in the morning to kick-start the body and energise the mind. They have a beautiful citrus flavour similar to sour orange, with sunny hints of tropical pineapple. So they taste as good as they make you feel! Alternatively, add a shot to a smoothie or glass of juice if you’d prefer a longer drink. We find they tend to work best with other citrus flavours. For a more subtle taste, add a dash to filtered water and spread the shot out throughout the day. Just remember to store your shot in the fridge and consume it within 24 hours of opening. In addition to peach sorbet, there are plenty of other recipes you can use sea buckthorn shots in. For example, you could mix one into a salad dressing or use them when making a citrusy cheesecake. However you enjoy it, you’ll get more than your daily requirement of vitamin C in just one shot!

Why not just take a sea buckthorn supplement?

If you’re interested in sea buckthorn, you’re probably aware that you can also take it as a supplement. However, here at Erbology, we think you get far more benefits when consuming it as a shot. Firstly, you know exactly what’s in them and where the berries are sourced from. With supplements, on the other hand, there are often fillers and binding agents in the mix. Plus, there are the capsules themselves, which are not always vegan. Moreover, supplements usually contain only isolated nutrients. Meanwhile, natural sea buckthorn juice includes an array of wellness-boosting phytonutrients that work together to better support your health. And finally, whether you have them neat or in peach sorbet, sea buckthorn shots taste far superior to supplements!

Creative ways to enjoy our peach sorbet

The purest way to enjoy this peach sorbet is simply to scoop it into a bowl and tuck in! It’s the perfect refreshing treat on hot summer days, conjuring up gorgeous images of the Italian Riviera. In fact, in our opinion, it makes a fantastic dessert at any time of the year! Sorbet of any flavour is nice and light, so you don’t need to feel guilty about indulging. Of course, there are also plenty of ways that you can get creative when serving your peach sorbet. For instance, if you're after a more substantial dessert, you could include it as part of a sundae. Add a couple of spoons to a dish along with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, broken-up cookies, and anything else that takes your fancy! Peach sorbet also serves as a wonderful accompaniment to other desserts, such as cakes and tarts. Another top tip is to make additional flavours of ice cream besides peach sorbet, and serve them together. Choosing an ingredient with a contrasting colour, such as raspberry or chocolate, will look especially striking in the bowl. Whichever way you serve it, topping your peach sorbet with mint leaf or fresh berries adds an attractive finishing touch. So if you’ve been searching for a dessert that boosts your health without feeling like a compromise, look no further. We’re confident that this peach sorbet is the answer!