As I have said several times before, I love making scoops inspired by experiences and memories. My latest scoop is inspired by my recent trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. My husband and I took the chance of visiting the area in the late winter and it paid off. The weather was perfect, ranging from 50s to 60s with sunny blue skies. Of course the area is beautiful, who wouldn’t say that, but it also possesses a special spirit. It is a spirit that makes you feel humbled and free at the same time. People who live here love their land and their home. There is culture centered on the land. I fell in love with it all.
One famous food from the region is the prickly pear, a bright pink fruit that grows on a cactus. Most restaurants in the area have some form of prickly pear beverage or dessert. The flavor is both tart and sweet (often described as tasting like a tart watermelon) that lends itself well to fruity cocktails and sweet treats. I didn’t pick any prickly pear from the side of the road, but I did find a bottle of prickly pear syrup that I thought would be perfect for making sorbet. When I brought it home I decided that a little added creaminess would be good, so I used coconut milk as a base. The sweet, creamy coconut and tart prickly pear work really well together. Enjoy!
Prickly Pear Sorbet
Makes about 1 quart
Prickly pear syrup can be found at most specialty stores in the southwest or ordered online. If you are lucky enough to have access to real prickly pear fruit, there are several recipes online that describe how to make your own prickly pear syrup.
1 – 15 ounce can coconut milk (full fat version)
3/4 cup prickly pear syrup
1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
Pinch of salt
Shake coconut milk well, open can and pour into a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add prickly pear syrup, lime juice, and salt. Whisk until combined. Chill in refrigerator until completely cold, about two hours. Once chilled, pour sorbet base into an ice cream maker and churn following manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press with a sheet of parchment (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until set, about 4 hours.
Elisa says
Hello! I know these little spiky guys as Tunas in Spanish…until yesterday I had no idea they were called Prickley Pears…Go figure…just so happens I was looking for an apple pie recipie…one click led To another, I found your blog and now Tuna- Coconut Sorbet! Can't wait to try this…It is not very often one comes across Tunas in Germany — very glad I scooped some up.
Thank you…
Laura Krick says
Hello,
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been in search of just this exact thing! I was given an entire bushel of "tunas" from my food co-op. This was my first prickly-pear experience. However, I am attempting to be sugar-free and calorie conscious so I made my own syrup using agave and artificial "brown sugar." Also, I added the zest of a lime into the scoop mix and only used 13.5oz of coconut milk (1 small can). So delicious!!
I just discovered your site last night, so thank you sooooo much for all of the lovely ideas!! Next up….. apricot and…. lavender….or almaretto… or vanilla…. hummmm I wonder…..!
Caroline Gates says
Hello! I am so excited about this recipe, I just took a trip to Sedona as well and picked up some prickly pear syrup and this will be the perfect use for it! But I was wondering why you specified the use of full fat coconut milk. What would happen if I used reduced fat or fat free? Thanks!
Lindsay says
Full fat coconut milk is a good idea because using it gives the ice cream a good texture. If you substitute light coconut milk you risk making a icey, harder-to-scoop ice cream. I love the texture of this ice cream so I would highly recommend you don’t substitute.