Apricot Sherbet with Black Currant Sauce

Black Currant Sauce

1. In a small bowl, mix the jam with 1 tablespoon of the liqueur. Stir until blended. Keep adding liqueur, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. The amount of liqueur will vary with the thickness of the jam and your personal definition of ice cream sauce. If you reach the equal ratio mark, you’ve gone too far.

Apricot Sherbet

1. Pit and chop the apricots. Place them in a medium-sized pot with the water. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the apricots are very tender. This takes about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how often you lift the lid to stir.
2. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mash slightly and taste. Add up to 1/4 cup more sugar depending on how sweet the apricots are. Don’t add too much sugar or the sherbet won’t set. Allow to cool slightly.
3. In a blender or food processor, purée the apricot-sugar mixture with the vanilla and salt until very smooth. Reduce speed, pour in the cream and blend until combined.
4. Pour the apricot base into a glass or metal bowl, cover and chill for a couple of hours. About 15 to 20 minutes before you churn, put the base into the freezer to get extra cold. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Before your return the sherbet to the freezer to set, decide if you want to make a plain or ripple version. To create a ripple effect, spoon some sauce on the bottom of the storage container, then layer the sherbet with lashes of the sauce. If you prefer to drizzle sauce as you go, just spoon the apricot sherbet into a container and chill until set and drizzle when you serve.