So… apparently I’ve been saying and spelling the word “sherbet” wrong my entire life.

Yep, I found out a few months ago that there is no second “r” — “sherbet,” not “sherbert.” Of course, old habits die hard, so I’m probably going to continue pronouncing it “sherbert” for at least a few more years. Hopefully I can pass it off as just another pronunciation quirk that comes with my slight Tennessee accent. You know, like “hunnert.”

(When I was in college, I got points deducted from a speech for saying “hunnert” instead of “hundred” and “fer” instead of “for.” STILL BITTER, DR. SIMMONS.)

Anyhoo, I may not speak the king’s English, but at least I can make passable desserts, which I’m sure is more than can be said of a certain communications professor. (like I said, still bitter)

Story time.

After our Ikea excursion last weekend, Andy and I headed over to California Pizza Kitchen to share a slice of key lime pie (one of perhaps three things on the dessert menu I could actually eat). Key lime pie is one of the few dessert items that both of us genuinely like, so I came away inspired to make my own version — vegan, of course, because I love the challenge!

I figured it would be as simple as subbing a few vegan ingredients into a pie recipe I found online. Not so. The pie filling turned out WAY too runny — I spilled it all over the floor several times in an attempt to get the filled crust into the fridge. When I realized the filling was never going to set, I popped it in the freezer while I decided what to do with it. That evening, I took it out of the freezer to assess the damage, by which time the filling had miraculously turned to sherbet. The day was saved!

So I guess my pie will have to wait, but at least in the meantime I can rest on my laurels somewhat knowing that I have a winning vegan sherbet recipe up my sleeve. Don’t be put off by the slightly bizarre ingredient list. Andy, who is both tofu- and coconut-averse, gobbled up this stuff before I even had a chance to tell her what was in it.

Also, I got the idea for reducing coconut milk as an alternative to sweetened condensed milk from this recipe — apparently, serendipity is on the side of recipe developers everywhere!

ingredients

1 13oz can full fat coconut milk
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c extra firm silken tofu
1-2 drops green food coloring (optional)

directions

1. In a medium saucepan, boil the coconut milk and sugar over medium-high heat until it reduces and becomes thick and syrupy–about 20 minutes.
2. Blend the tofu, lime juice, and reduced coconut milk in a blender or food processor until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and pop it straight in the freezer — no churning required!

I haven’t tried making this sherbet with any other type of juice, but I bet it would be great with lemon, or even half lemon, half lime. You could also try adding a few drops of peppermint extract to the lime for a mojito flavor. If you use a different juice or come up with any other variations, let me know how it turns out!

Happy sherbeting!