Pinkglow Pineapple Sorbet

Pink Pineapple is a Thing. I Did Not Know This.

Yep, the holidays are over, winter is definitely here, and I’m making and eating sorbet. If this seems weird to you, here’s my way of thinking. After all the indulgences of the holiday season, a bowl of refreshing sorbet is the perfect end to a meal or for a snack later on in the evening. I’m not one who only eats ice cream or other cold desserts when the weather is warm. I eat it all year round. 

When I saw these pink pineapples in the market, I had to buy one and see what I thought. These are new to me. I may be late to this party, but it’s the first time I’ve seen one. They’re called Pinkglow Pineapples. The outside of the fruit looks like any other pineapple, but the flesh is a lovely soft pink color and the flavor isn’t quite as biting and full of acid as the typical pineapple. You know how you can get that burn at the back of your throat from eating fresh pineapple? That’s not the case with this variety. They’re also sweeter. Sorbet instantly came to mind because a few years ago my son made a great pineapple sorbet that really stood out, due to both its texture and flavor, and I thought the flavors of the pink pineapple would be ideal.

By doing nothing more than pulverizing all the ingredients in the food processor, he ended up with a texture that was almost creamy. It wasn’t ice-like at all. So, I did the same thing here. Along with the fresh pink pineapple, a whole seeded lemon goes into the mix, along with additional lemon juice and sugar. I then added a couple tablespoons of pomegranate liqueur. This served 2 purposes. The little bit of alcohol helps keep the sorbet from becoming too icy and the flavor provided a little oomph I felt was needed. If you don’t have the liqueur, either add a tablespoon of vodka and another tablespoon of lemon juice, or you can eliminate the alcohol and simply increase the lemon juice by 1 tablespoon. 

A big pinch of kosher salt and a little bit of chili flakes were all that it needed. I used gochugaru chili flakes, but Aleppo or any other similar kind of chili flake would be good. The chili doesn’t make the sorbet spicy, it only provides a little kick to the overall flavor profile. Then all you need to do is churn it in an ice cream maker, transfer it to the freezer and let it freeze for a couple of hours. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, simply pour it into a shallow metal pan and stir it every 30 minutes until it’s firm and can be scooped. 

I’ll jump on almost any excuse to eat pomegranate arils (seeds), but they really do add beautiful bits of brightness to this sorbet and I highly recommend you use them if you can get them. They are plentiful right now, so I take advantage of their season and eat them all the time. 

Well, folks, there you have it. A very easy and delicious treat. If this strikes your fancy and there are no pink pineapples around, you can make a great version with a regular yellow pineapple. Instead of using a whole lemon and lemon juice, use a whole lime and 3 extra tablespoons of fresh lime juice. Eliminate the pomegranate liqueur, but everything else stays the same. Either way you go, fresh pineapple makes a superb sorbet. And it’s a bowl of goodness you can happily dig into right now.