Cactus Pear Sorbets Food

CACTUS FIG AND LIME SORBET

Steps:

• Remove the outer skin of the cactus figs to expose the light green flesh. Push the flesh through a mesh sieve into a bowl, collecting the juice and trapping the seeds and pulp.
• Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Stir cactus juice and lime juice into the sugar water. Mix thoroughly; chill for 1 hour.
• Pour cactus-lime mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions, about 20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

CACTUS SORBET

Steps:

• Wearing your rubber gloves, wash and skin pears. Be careful of the very tiny spines. Add all ingredients except mint to a blender and puree until smooth. Reduce liquid in half on medium heat. Strain and let cool.
• Note: Before freezing the puree, adjust the flavor with sugar and cranberry juice, to taste. Freeze puree in an ice cream maker and you're ready to scoop.
• Garnish with fresh mint.

CACTUS-PEAR SORBETS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Wearing rubber gloves, wash cactus pears and with paper towels rub off any prickly fuzz left on skin. Halve cactus pears lengthwise and with a spoon carefully scoop flesh with seeds into a blender, leaving thick shells intact. Add syrup and lime juice to blender and purée until smooth. Pour cactus-pear purée through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard seeds. Put cactus shells on baking sheet and freeze while making sorbet.
• Freeze purée in an ice-cream maker. Scoop sorbet into frozen shells, smoothing surfaces so they are level. Freeze filled cactus shells at least 6 hours, or until frozen hard. Frozen sorbets in shells may be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and kept in freezer 1 week.