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Lacto-Fermented Apple Sherbet

By
Tyler Zielinski
Tyler Zielinski
Tyler Zielinski
Tyler Zielinski is a freelance writer specializing in cocktails and spirits and a bartender at Lawrence Park in Hudson, NY.
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Published 02/8/21
Lacto-Fermented Apple Sherbet

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

To clarify for our American readers, this “sherbet” is one in the British sense, meaning a fruity and sour (and often fizzy) drink and not the frozen dessert. 

Giorgio Bargiani and Agostino Perrone of London’s Connaught Bar developed this innovative use of fermentation brine. “The ferment can be used as a sour element to balance a drink or to reduce the sweetness of a certain ingredient,” says Perrone, the director of mixology at The Connaught Hotel. “We’ve made a delicious sherbet out of lacto-fermented apple by using the pickling liquid for the sherbet itself and the fruit to make a garnish to enhance the flavors.” 

It’s just one of many ways in which to use the complex flavors of lacto-fermented ingredients to produce cocktail components.

Ingredients

  • 400 grams agave nectar

  • 4 1/2 grams salt

  • 600 grams green apples (skin on and diced)

Steps

  1. Add the agave nectar and salt into a container with 400 grams of water and stir to mix until the liquid is runny and salt has dissolved.

  2. Add the diced apples and agave nectar mixture into a sous-vide bag or Mason jar and seal it.

  3. Let stand for 5 to 7 days in a warm place away from direct sunlight. Check every day to see if the bag inflates too much, and if it does, open the bag to allow the excess air to get out and seal it again. (If you’re using a Mason jar, open it slightly to release the carbon dioxide after a couple of days.)

  4. After the fermentation process has completed, place the fermented apples in a juicer to extract the juice. Add equal parts brine to the fresh juice. Will keep in a cool location for up to one month.