SANTA ROSA PLUM SORBET

1 and 1/3 pounds soft ripe Santa Rosa plums

7/8 cup sugar

Wash the plums and cut them off the pits. Cook over low to medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Puree them through a food mill or in a blender or food processor. I use the processor. Chill. Boil the sugar with 5/8 cup water for 5 minutes and add to the puree. Chill thoroughly, then place in freezer. When partially frozen, whip up in food processor until color lightens and volume increases a bit, then repeat twice. (Or let it freeze, then partially thaw and proceed with food processor.) Otherwise, freeze in ice cream maker.

I originally made up a recipe for this but now have adapted one from the Chez Panisse Dessert Cookbook, which uses a sugar syrup rather than just adding sugar to the plums as they cook; and I like the result. Chez Panisse adds kirsch to taste; but that would ruin the taste of tree-ripened fruit. It also uses water, which is completely unnecessary with tree-ripened fruit.

And that’s it! Simple and divine. If you like, you may add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to your bowl of sorbet; but it is exquisite by itself!