Frozen delights are perfect for the summer – ice cream, gelato, sorbetto, and sherbet. However, sherbet (pronounced “sure - bit”) and sorbetto are sometimes confused. Both are fruit-based, giving them an equally natural flavor, but sorbetto contains no dairy. Sherbet, on the other hand, contains milk, giving it a pastel color and making it creamier. Popular fruit sherbet flavors include lemon, lime, orange, and raspberry. Read on to find out why sherbet is becoming more and more popular as a frozen treat option.
What is sherbet exactly?
Sherbet is a refreshing, fruity, frozen treat and there are so many tantalizing sherbet flavors to choose from. It doesn’t have as much dairy as ice cream, but it is made with milk, cream, or even buttermilk. To pass as ice cream it would have to contain at least 10% milk fat. According to the FDA, sherbet must contain between one and two percent milk fat. Along with the small milk content, sherbet also contains stabilizers – like gelatin, vegetable gum, or egg. These enhance the texture of the sherbet by making it creamier. Fruit juice or fruit puree make up the rest of the ingredients.
What are most consumers looking for in a frozen dessert?
These days, consumers are looking for healthier options when they go shopping for food. A lot of people want a dessert that’s a little less fattening but as delicious as ice cream. Sherbet is ideal as a light summer treat, more decadent than sorbet but not rich as ice cream. Plus, there are so many sherbet flavors to choose from.
Sherbet has lower fat content than ice cream and contains less saturated fat, monosaturated fat, and cholesterol than ice cream. Sherbet is also better for consumers on a low glycemic diet as the glycemic index of sherbet is lower than the glycemic index of ice cream.
But has sherbet really got fewer calories than ice cream?
Sherbet usually contains fewer calories than ice cream. A portion of orange sherbet, for example, contains considerably fewer calories than an equal serving of vanilla ice cream. Orange sherbet contains 144 calories (kcal) per 100g, while regular vanilla ice cream contains about 207 calories per 100g. Obviously, this all changes if toppings are added. Whipped cream, chocolate chips, or a sprinkling of nuts is a sure way to add on calories.
Trending sherbet flavors
Fruit puree is one of the main ingredients of sherbet. Traditional standalone fruit sherbet flavors, like orange, lemon, lime, and raspberry, are the most popular. But some other flavors which are also popular include mango, passion fruit, strawberry, peach, and watermelon. Rainbow sherbet consists of layers of raspberry, lime, and orange sherbet flavors.
Sherbet can be used in popular milk-based drinks. Sherbet flavors complement most smoothie and milkshake flavors and will really spruce these drinks up because of its creaminess.
Why is fruit puree used as a main ingredient in sherbet?
In a nutshell, sherbet is made from water, dairy, stabilizers, and the main ingredient – pureed fruit. Fruit purees give different sherbets their refreshing, fruity flavors, and bright colors. The fruit puree used in sherbet has been strained, leaving the fruit pulp and seeds behind. This is necessary to ensure the sherbet is smooth. Fruit purees are ideal because there are so many exotic choices these days.
Also, the frozen desserts industry is not limited by geography or the season. These days, fruit purees can be transported far and wide and are available at any time of year. They are carefully packaged in aseptic packaging and are easy to store. The diverse selection of puree flavors is perfect for the sherbet industry as they explore new flavors.
As we can see, there are different kinds of popular frozen desserts, to suit consumers’ tastes, like there are types of ice cream. Sherbets are becoming increasingly sort after as a frozen treat. They are refreshingly fruity, deliciously creamy, and easy to serve. It’s easy to understand why finding new fruit sherbet flavors is a good idea!
