Cardamom Plum Sorbet Recipe

Homemade Cardamom Plum Sorbet Recipe: A Sweet Summer Treat

Cardamom plum sorbet elevates ordinary summer moments into extraordinary culinary experiences.

Rich, fragrant spices dance alongside luscious stone fruit, creating a sophisticated frozen treat.

Smooth and intensely flavorful, this dessert balances sweet and aromatic profiles with elegant simplicity.

The combination delivers a surprising sensory journey that awakens your palate.

Minimal ingredients guarantee maximum impact, making preparation surprisingly straightforward and enjoyable.

Seasonal produce elevates this recipe from basic to remarkable, promising a memorable dessert.

Prepare to impress your guests with this unexpected and delightful frozen confection.

What Makes Cardamom Plum Sorbet So Refreshing

  • Roast and Boost Flavor: Baking plums with cardamom and vanilla intensifies their natural sweetness, creating a deep, complex taste profile that elevates the sorbet from ordinary to extraordinary.
  • Smooth Sailing Texture: Straining the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve ensures a silky, luxurious consistency that glides effortlessly across your palate, making each spoonful a velvety delight.
  • Healthy Indulgence Hack: With zero fat, low calories, and a minimal ingredient list, this sorbet offers a guilt-free dessert option that doesn't compromise on rich, sophisticated flavor.
  • Simple Summer Showstopper: Perfect for hot days, this elegant dessert requires minimal cooking skills and can be prepared ahead of time, making it an impressive yet stress-free treat for gatherings or personal enjoyment.

Everything You Need for Cardamom Plum Sorbet

Fruit Base:
  • Plums: Fresh, ripe summer plums with deep purple color and soft texture for rich, intense flavor.
  • Lemon Juice: Bright citrus element that balances sweetness and prevents fruit from browning.
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
  • Sugar: Pure white granulated sugar to provide smooth sweetness and help create sorbets texture.
  • Cardamom Pods: Aromatic spice with warm, complex flavor that adds exotic depth to the sorbet.
  • Vanilla Bean: Premium ingredient offering rich, smooth background note and natural sweetness.
Liquid Component:
  • Water: Neutral base liquid that helps create smooth, scoopable sorbet consistency.

How to Make Cardamom Plum Sorbet from Scratch

Step 1: Prepare Roasting Ingredients

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Gather these ingredients:
  • Plums
  • Sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Cardamom pods
  • Vanilla bean

Step 2: Roast Plums

Arrange halved plums in a roasting dish with cut side facing up. Add:
  • Sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Cardamom pods
  • Vanilla bean

Bake for 30 minutes until plums become soft. Allow plums to cool completely.

Step 3: Remove Plum Pits

Carefully remove pits from roasted plums. Discard solid parts but keep all baking juices.

Step 4: Create Cardamom Syrup

In a saucepan, combine:
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Cardamom pods

Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Let steep for 10 minutes. Strain out cardamom pods.

Step 5: Blend Sorbet Base

Combine roasted plums, reserved baking juices, and cardamom syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve for extra silky texture.

Step 6: Chill Mixture

Refrigerate blended mixture for 2 hours to ensure proper temperature.

Step 7: Churn Sorbet

Pour chilled puree into an ice cream maker. Churn until mixture reaches frozen consistency.

Step 8: Freeze Sorbet

Transfer churned sorbet into a freezer-safe container. Freeze completely for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Step 9: Serve and Garnish

Scoop sorbet into serving dishes. Optional: Garnish with fresh plum slices for extra flavor.

Top Tips for Silky-Smooth Cardamom Plum Sorbet

  • Roast Plums Carefully: Ensure even softening by positioning plums cut-side up and checking they caramelize without burning during baking.
  • Strain Smoothly: Use a fine-mesh sieve to remove any tough skin or remaining seeds, creating an ultra-silky sorbet texture.
  • Steep Cardamom Strategically: Allow cardamom pods to infuse syrup completely, releasing maximum aromatic flavors into the mixture.
  • Chill Thoroughly: Refrigerate the puree for the full 2 hours to develop deeper flavor complexity and ensure proper churning consistency.
  • Freeze Patiently: Let the sorbet set completely overnight for the most dense, creamy texture that scoops beautifully and maintains intense plum and cardamom notes.

Chill and Re-Chill: Cardamom Plum Sorbet Storage Guide

  • Refrigeration: Transfer leftover cardamom plum sorbet into an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal carefully to prevent freezer burn and maintain optimal flavor. Store in the coldest part of your freezer for up to 2 weeks.
  • Softening Technique: Remove sorbet from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving to allow slight thawing. Let it sit at room temperature, which helps restore its smooth, creamy texture. Scoop gently with a warm spoon to prevent breaking the delicate consistency.
  • Preventing Crystallization: Cover the surface of the sorbet with plastic wrap directly touching the sorbet before sealing the container. This prevents ice crystals from forming and preserves the sorbet's silky texture. Avoid refreezing multiple times, as this can compromise the original quality and taste.

What to Serve with Cardamom Plum Sorbet

  • Pair with Prosecco Sparkle: The bubbly, light Prosecco complements the sorbet's rich cardamom and plum flavors, creating a refreshing and elegant dessert experience.
  • Match with Almond Shortbread: Crisp, buttery almond shortbread cookies provide a delightful textural contrast to the smooth, velvety sorbet while enhancing its warm cardamom notes.
  • Serve with Lavender Honey: Drizzle delicate lavender-infused honey over the sorbet to add a floral complexity that beautifully elevates the plum's natural sweetness and aromatic cardamom undertones.
  • Add Toasted Pistachios: Sprinkle crunchy, lightly toasted pistachios on top to introduce a nutty dimension and subtle textural crunch that balances the sorbet's silky smoothness.

Fun Variations of Cardamom Plum Sorbet You’ll Love

  • Ginger Plum Freeze: Replace cardamom with fresh ginger, adding a warm, spicy kick to the sorbet that complements the sweet plums perfectly.
  • Lavender Summer Sorbet: Infuse the syrup with dried lavender flowers, creating a fragrant and elegant dessert that captures the essence of summer gardens.
  • Spiced Plum Berry Blend: Mix in a handful of fresh raspberries or blackberries during blending, introducing a tangy complexity and beautiful deep purple color to the original recipe.
  • Honey Plum Cooler: Swap sugar with local honey, bringing a rich, floral sweetness and smooth texture to the sorbet that enhances the natural plum flavors.
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Cardamom Plum Sorbet Recipe

Cardamom Plum Sorbet Recipe


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4.5 from 9 reviews

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Description

Cardamom Plum Sorbet delivers a sophisticated dance of Persian-inspired flavors, blending ripe summer plums with aromatic cardamom. Cool spice and fruity notes create an elegant dessert that refreshes palates and transports diners to exotic culinary landscapes you’ll savor with each delicate spoonful.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (454 grams) plums, halved
  • 5 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds scraped

Sweeteners:

  • 1¼ cups (250 grams) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Supporting Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups (355 milliliters) water
  • Fresh plums for serving, pitted and sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. Ignite the oven to 375°F (190°C), preparing for the plum transformation.
  2. Arrange plum halves in a roasting dish with their cut sides facing upward, generously sprinkle granulated sugar, drizzle fresh lemon juice, scatter whole cardamom pods, and nestle a fragrant vanilla bean alongside the fruit.
  3. Roast the plums for approximately 30 minutes until they become tender and release their luscious juices, then allow them to cool completely at room temperature.
  4. Carefully extract the plum pits, preserving all the delectable roasting liquids while discarding the solid remnants.
  5. Create a delicate cardamom-infused syrup by combining water and sugar in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil, then removing from heat to steep the cardamom pods for precisely 10 minutes.
  6. Strain the aromatic syrup, eliminating the spent cardamom pods and retaining the fragrant liquid.
  7. Purée the roasted plums with the reserved cooking juices and strained cardamom syrup using a high-powered blender until achieving a silky-smooth consistency.
  8. Press the puréed mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure an impeccably smooth texture, removing any potential fibrous remnants.
  9. Refrigerate the plum mixture for approximately 2 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the temperature to drop.
  10. Transfer the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-frozen state.
  11. Scoop the churned sorbet into a freezer-safe container, smoothing the surface for an even freeze.
  12. Allow the sorbet to solidify completely in the freezer for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight.
  13. When ready to serve, let the sorbet soften slightly at room temperature for 3-5 minutes, then garnish with fresh plum slices for an elegant presentation.

Notes

  • Roasting plums intensifies their natural sweetness, creating a deeper, more complex flavor profile for the sorbet.
  • Straining the puree ensures a silky-smooth texture, removing any unwanted bits of skin or seeds.
  • Steeping cardamom pods in sugar syrup releases their aromatic oils, infusing the dessert with a warm, exotic essence.
  • Chilling the mixture before churning helps achieve a creamier, more refined sorbet consistency.
  • Freezing overnight allows flavors to meld and develop, resulting in a more harmonious and refined dessert experience.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 140
  • Sugar: 30 g
  • Sodium: 5 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 35 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: <1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
Julian Park

Julian Park

Co-Founder, Cuisine Researcher & Food Culture Writer

Expertise

  • Global Food Cultures & Culinary History
  • Regional Flavor Profiles & Cooking Techniques
  • Food Anthropology & Cultural Identity
  • Culinary Research & Narrative Writing
  • Street Food Traditions & Heritage Dishes

Education

The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), Los Angeles, CA

  • Degree: Certificate in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Professional culinary techniques, global cuisine fundamentals, and real-world training in restaurant-style cooking and food presentation.

Julian Park is a natural storyteller at The Dream Café who blends hands-on culinary experience with a passion for exploring global food traditions. A graduate of The Institute of Culinary Education in Los Angeles, Julian combines professional technique with a love for cultural discovery, diving into how dishes reflect heritage, migration, and identity. 

His work spans everything from in-depth cuisine guides to reflections on everyday meals around the world. With a curious palate and a journal always close by, Julian helps readers connect with food in a way that feels so insightful and personal.

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