Summertime Apricot Rum Sorbet

After experimenting with chocolate, ginger-gingersnap, blueberry-lemon, and mango ginger, a friend challenged me to an ice cream duel: create boozy ice cream concoctions. Frozen yogurts allowed. Sorbets allowed. Deliciousness allowed.

Incorporating alcohol into ice cream is not as easy as it seems. Too much liquor or beer, and you wind up with a really, really cold juice-slushy-like dish. Too little results in nothing fun in your dessert.

Said friend went in a completely different direction, choosing to unveil a delicious custard-based Godiva liqueur chocolate ice cream. Tasty and super rich, but we agreed that it may be a little much for the climbing temperatures in the District.

I settled on an apricot rum sorbet, mostly because I had all the ingredients I needed in my fridge. Rather than juice, I opted for apricot nectar and chose not to add any additional sweeteners. Adding candied ginger was another option I considered (doesn't apricot and ginger sound like a great combination?), but as this is my first homemade sorbet, I played safe.

The results are yummy! This sorbet has the consistency of a frozen peach fuzz cocktail. It's best to freeze this for awhile after churning; because of the rum content, it will still be semi-soft and easy to scoop even after freezing.

Apricot Rum Sorbet

Makes 1 quart

4 cups apricot nectar

1/2 cup white rum

1. Chill nectar and rum in the fridge.

2. Combine, pour into ice cream maker, and churn according to ice cream maker's directions.

3. Freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Consume. Lovely when served with mint, mangoes, and/or fresh apricot.