What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? (2024)

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What's the Difference Between Sorbet and Sherbet? ›

A: Both sherbet and sorbet are frozen desserts made with fruit purée or juice, sugar, and flavorings. Sherbet also contains a small amount of milk, and possibly egg white or gelatin so sorbet is preferable for people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy, vegetarian, or vegan.

The major difference between the two is that sherbet is made with dairy and sorbet isn't. Sherbet has more of a creamy texture that you'd expect from ice cream thanks to ingredients like milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk in the mix. Sorbet, on the other hand, is simply sugar and fruit.

Sherbet (/ˈʃɜːrbət/), often referred to as sherbert (/ˈʃɜːrbərt/), is a frozen dessert made from water, sugar, a dairy product such as cream or milk, and a flavoring – typically fruit juice or purée, wine, liqueur, and occasionally non-fruit flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, or peppermint.

"Sorbet is made with fruit but no dairy (eggs or milk/cream) so it's generally vegan-friendly and suits those with egg or dairy allergies, too," she says. The pureness of the fruit makes it icy and refreshing, and it won't be silky or rich in its texture as some other kinds of ice creams and sherberts may be.

Sorbet is a non-dairy frozen dessert made from puréed fruit or fruit juice mixed with water and sugar. It should be made up of very fine grains, and contain no large crystals of ice. In some countries, a small amount of milk might be added to sorbet, but this is not the case in the UK.

Sherbet is made with dairy, so it contains a little bit of fat. One ½ cup serving of sherbet averages around 130 calories and 1 to 3 grams of fat. Sorbet is made with just fruit and sugar and is therefore fat-free. There are between 120 to 150 calories per ½ cup of sorbet.

Sherbet, pronounced "SHER-but," is the usual word for the frozen sweet dessert made from fruit or fruit juices. Sherbert, with an additional r in the second syllable and pronounced "SHER-bert," is less commonly used. In Britain, sherbet is a sweet powder used to make a drink bubbly or eaten by itself.

For starters, since the basic elemental difference is that sherbet includes dairy and sorbet does not, it is an especially important distinction if you or someone in your sphere is vegan or chooses to eat dairy-free, since then you know you can serve sorbet without worry.

The origin of sherbet

The Arabic word šarba, which literally means a drink, is where the word sherbet comes from. It came to English in the early seventeenth century through the Turkish şerbet, which is a form of the Persian šerbet, itself a derivation from the original Arabic word. Sorbet has the same Arabic root.

Not only is sorbet a healthier alternative to ice cream, but it is also a dessert that can be enjoyed guilt-free. With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream.

What's the difference between gelato and sorbet? ›

sorbet. By now, you know that gelato traditionally uses milk and cream as its main ingredients, and that sorbet primarily contains fruit juice or fruit purée and does not use dairy products or eggs. Sorbet is less creamy.

Because it contains little other than water, sugar and some form of fruit, sorbet tends to be much lower in calories and fat than ice cream. But, with the exception of vitamin C, it also tend to be low in nutrients (the amount of vitamin C will vary according to the type and quantity of fruit used).

I freeze a container to the put the sorbet in so it won't melt when you take it out of the machine. Freeze it immediately. If the sorbet hardens a bit after being frozen for a couple of days, you can temper it by letting it “warm up” in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving.

British English: sorbet /ˈsɔːbeɪ/ NOUN. Sorbet is a frozen dessert made with fruit juice, sugar, and water.

Both are derived from the Turkish and Persian words şerbet and sharbat respectively. In turn, they are ultimately derived from the Arabic word for 'drink', sharba. The difference appears to be an American distinction between an ice that has a small amount of dairy (sherbet) and one that has none (sorbet).

Sherbet, pronounced "SHER-but," is the usual word for the frozen sweet dessert made from fruit or fruit juices. Sherbert, with an additional r in the second syllable and pronounced "SHER-bert," is less commonly used. In Britain, sherbet is a sweet powder used to make a drink bubbly or eaten by itself.

Making Sherbet

Common sherbet flavors include orange, raspberry, lemon, and lime. There's also a variation called rainbow sherbet, which is made by combining layers of raspberry, lime, and orange sherbet.