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Nieve de Chabacano

Whenever I crave a cold sweet treat, I always go for the nieves. Ice cream is great, of course, but I am all about the fruit. Anyone who knows me knows that I can eat a quarter of a watermelon in half an hour, that I eat six to ten pieces of fruit per day during the summer, and that I have a particular weakness for stone fruit. The fruit is always the main focus in sorbet, with no distractions. Although the variety of stone fruit is not as diverse in Mexico as it is in other parts of the world, we have some tart and sweet apricots that make an extremely refreshing and silky nieve. Feel free to substitute any other stone fruit that is ripe and in season.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ripe apricots
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Wash the apricots and cut into quarters, discarding the pits. Combine with the water and sugar in a pot and cook over medium heat, without letting it boil, until the apricots are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Step 2

    Let cool for about 30 minutes, then purée in a blender. Add the salt and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Strain and cool over an ice bath. Refrigerate, covered, until completely chilled, about 2 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson Cookbook Cover
Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.
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