Orange & Thyme Sorbet: Good Friday Edition

Happy Good Friday to everyone! While we are not a very religious group, we celebrate this day with hot cross buns and a bunch of pre-Easter goodies! This is when I pull out my massive binder of recipes I've torn out of magazines, copied from cookbooks, quick inspirations and have been given to me by family. This time around I always make Jamie Oliver's Hot Cross Buns. It's a total process, but delicious...you'll see why I debate making them every year, but then realize it's worth it. In the meantime, while sitting waiting for your buns to rise for what feels like the 5th time, why not make some sorbet for Easter Sunday? 

This sorbet is divine and SO SIMPLE. It's actually inspired by an amuse-bouche we had at L'Auberge Chez François. I love dining there, each of their dining rooms reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen. Both the main dining room and brasserie are fantastic. Anyway, when served multiple courses, your waiter brings out small tidbits in between which change depending on what's in season. This time around we had fennel soup and what our charming waiter claimed to be orange sorbet; there was no way it was just orange sorbet as there where lemon-thyme leaves chopped up and swirled in. It was delicious, and so were the many other courses. The item that came in second for me? The Grand Marnier Souffle, absolutely brilliant! So while I sit here dreaming of our meal from last week, waiting for my hot cross buns to rise, I hope this brings you a touch of whimsy for your Easter table! Cheers!  

Ingredients:

Orange Simple Syrup
zest of one orange
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups water

Thyme Simple Syrup
4 sprigs of thyme
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

2 thyme springs, stems removed
3 tbsp Cointreau 

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat add all your orange simple syrup ingredients. Bring to a quick boil then remove from heat
2. Follow step 1 for the thyme syrup
3. Let both syrups sit for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator until cool
4. Once mixtures have cooled, strain both into the same bowl and pour into your ice cream maker
5. Freeze following manufacturer's instructions 
6. Towards the end of the freezing process add your Cointreau and thyme leaves (from your two sprigs) and make sure everything mixes completely! This sorbet is best served after hardening in the freezer for a few hours!

P.S. Want to make your sorbet even more adult friendly? Add some Crémant or Prosecco!!

Happy Easter!