Blueberry Buttermilk Sherbet

Blueberries are almost in season again in New Orleans.  For the past two years I have picked my own blueberries at an organic farm.  Each year I pick gallons of blueberries, eat as many as I can, then freeze the remainder for later consumption.  And inevitably each year I forget about some of them.  They sit on the bottom shelf of my freezer, waiting patiently to be used.  So to make room in my freezer for some more blueberries from this season’s upcoming trip to the farm, I need to use the berries that are still there, hence another blueberry scoop recipe (there sure are a lot of them, huh?).

I originally made this recipe using strawberries with excellent results.  The blueberry version is just as satisfying, with the buttermilk adding a slightly tangy taste to the scoop.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Buttermilk Sherbet
Makes 1 quart

Using buttermilk in this recipe provides a tangy taste that compliments the fruit.  I used a mixture of 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cream, but you could substitute 1 cup whole milk if you do not have buttermilk on hand.

1 pound blueberries
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 Tablespoon brandy
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup heavy cream

Prepare blueberries and place in a non-reactive container with sugar and brandy.  Let stand for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Pour macerated blueberries into a blender, add lemon juice, and blend until smooth.  Add buttermilk and cream and pulse until combined.  Pour sherbet base through a fine mesh sieve (to remove skins and seeds) into medium bowl. Chill the mixture thoroughly (at least 2 hours).

Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Place plastic or parchment over sherbet (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.