Day 200 - Plum & Thai Basil Sorbet

I'm on a plum roll here..& T'is the season for all things plum. This is an uber simple sorbet, that I created for the KitchenAid India Plum challenge that is being hosted in  collaboration with the Indian Food Bloggers Meet being held in Bangalore on August 1st & 2nd. Its a three ingredients dessert (maybe four, depending on tweaks & hacks that I'll let you in on)! The Thai Basil syrup recipe was posted last week (day 193) but I'll include it at the end of this post.

This recipe was made using an ice cream maker, but can also be prepared as a granita.

You need:

5 large black plums (preferably with the red flesh)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 - 2 fl. oz. Thai Basil simple syrup*
10 - 12 pitted fresh cherries (optional)

(If the plum has a deep red colored flesh, then by all means skip the cherries if you don't have any on hand, but if they happen to be yellow on the inside, do include them. The flesh of the fruit tends to oxidize and turn brown although the lime juice minimizes the discoloration. The cherries are a a delightful colorful addition anyways, and are in season around the same time. Since both fruits are related , the flavors combine very well)

• Prep  your ice cream maker as per the manufacturer's instruction.
• Peel, de-seed and chop the plums coarsely. 
• Combine the fruits with the lime juice and puree them completely. Strain the puree and stir in the Basil simple syrup as per your preference.
•  Pour into the Ice cream maker and churn the mixture until it thickens and freezes. 
• Transfer into a container and allow to set for about four hours (preferably overnight) in the freezer.
• To serve, simply scoop into chilled bowls, stick a spoon into it and enjoy!

(If you don't have an ice cream maker, then pour the puree into a wide glass dish, cover and freeze overnight. The next day, scrape the surface of the frozen block using a fork , and served the shaved ice in a chilled bowl.)

*Thai Basil simple syrup:
You need:
2 cups sugar (I use the vegan organic, unbleached crystals which yields a  golden color)
1 cup water
1 bunch Thai basil, thoroughly rinsed and shaken dry

Combine the water and sugar in a heavy saucepan, allow the sugar to dissolve completely on medium heat. add the Thai basil leaves and lower the heat allowing the liquid to simmer and reduce to your preference of viscosity. (the leaves would have thoroughly wilted by this time. Allow to cool to room temperature and strain into clean bottles. Store in the refrigerator.