Easy Orange Thyme Sorbet

I’m always attracted to the weird and different. Consequently, at Farmers’ Markets, I’m the person who gravitates to all the strange and exotic-looking produce. So when choosing herbs for my deck, why would I go all “garden variety” all of a sudden?

Lemon verbena, spearmint, apple mint, orange mint, pineapple mint, lemon thyme, purple basil, box basil, lemon basil, curry, variegated sage, and pineapple sage are some of the weirdo herbs that live harmoniously side by side on my NYC terrace.

Some would say this container garden is like the island of misfit toys of the herb world.

I thought I was done adding strange leafy things for the season until I saw this orange thyme during a recent breeze through my local farmers market. I actually backed up a few steps to make sure I had read the label correctly. A surreptitious taste test revealed a gorgeous orange thyme flavor. In no time flat, it joined all the other little herbal oddities on my terrace. It’s quite happy there with its edgy brethren.

I’ve been sorely lax in making ice cream or frozen treats this summer. But this sorbet made up for it, garnering me extra points for its delicious flavor. I love the little sting the thyme give this treat. You can use store-bought OJ for this recipe. However, this freshly squeezed version definitely tastes like sunshine in a glass, albeit with a little weirdo on the side.

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Easy Orange Thyme Sorbet

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade sorbet, orange sorbet, orange thyme, sorbet, summer desserts, thyme

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Chill Time 7 hours

Servings 4

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange thyme or thyme rinsed and patted dry.

Instructions

1. Heat all three ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl.

4. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

5. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.

6. Transfer to a tightly sealed plastic container.

7. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.

8. Scoop and serve. Garnish with thyme sprigs.