Pomegranate Sorbet

Pomegranate sorbet is a sweet-tart dessert that's naturally fat-free! Garnish with pomegrante seeds and a sprig of mint for a refreshing treat.

Welcome to this month's Progressive Eats! This month, our entire menu features pomegranate. Pomegranates are grown in Asia, in the region spanning Iran to India.

Pomegranates are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate. Eating the seeds also provides a healthy dose of fiber.

Pomegranate sorbet is made with just three ingredients: sugar, water and pomegranate juice. At its core, sorbet is simply a flavored syrup that's churned in an ice cream maker.

Since there's no dairy or egg, the dessert is naturally fat-free. The sweet-and-sour flavor makes it a great palate cleanser between courses of a meal.

Certain types of fruit are better suited to making sorbet than others, such as those that contain naturally high amounts of pectin or fiber. Pomegranates' fiber comes from the seeds, so we don't get the benefit of the fiber in the sorbet.

That's why I've included about a teaspoon of powdered fruit pectin. Powdered fruit pectin is available at most grocery stores, or any store that sells canning supplies.

Similar to baking, there is a science to sorbet. You need to have the right ratio of sugar to water. Too little sugar, and you have a flavored block of ice. Too little water, and you get a sloppy mess.

How do you know if you have the right ratio? Perform the egg test! Grab an egg from your fridge. Wash it, then place it in your mixture before you churn it. You want to be able to see about a nickel-sized circle of shell. If the amount of visible shell is smaller, the mixture needs a little more simple syrup.

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month's theme is Everything Pomegranate -- from pomegranate juice to molasses to fresh arils straight from the fruit. Our host this month is Beth Lee who blogs at OMG! Yummy. If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it's a virtual party. We choose a theme each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the deliciousness we've put together for our celebration inspired dishes!