No-Churn Pineapple Sorbet
Ripe pineapple, a light glucose syrup, and whisking that does the churning.
Silky and scoopable without a machine. The repeated freezing and whisking is what replaces the churn, and it is the part that cannot be skipped.
Made from 500 g of pineapple
The riper the pineapple, the less icy and more aromatic the sorbet. Glucose is what gives the professional, non-grainy finish, and a shallow tray freezes faster, which means smaller ice crystals.
Ingredients
- Fresh pineapple, very ripe, chopped500 g
- Caster sugar120 g
- Water80 ml
- Glucose syrup, key for texture1 tbsp
- Lemon juice1 tbsp
- Salta pinch
Method
The base
Combine the sugar, water and glucose in a small saucepan and heat gently until dissolved. There is no need to boil it hard. Cool slightly.
Blend the pineapple, the syrup, the lemon juice and the salt until completely smooth and glossy.
For an ultra-refined texture, pass it through a fine sieve.
Freezing, without a churn
Pour into a shallow tray and freeze for 1 hour.
Remove and whisk aggressively, or blend again, to break up the ice crystals.
Repeat that 2 to 3 times, every 30 to 45 minutes. This is what replaces the churn.
Freeze for a final 3 to 4 hours, until firm but scoopable.
Chef’s notes
- For a softer set, a teaspoon of vodka or white rum lowers the freezing point. For a more structured, modern texture, 2 g of agar.
- Flavour directions: pineapple with basil; pineapple with lime zest and an infusion of kaffir lime leaf; pineapple with chilli and smoked salt.
- Plating directions: a quenelle with pineapple gel, coconut espuma and lime oil, or with charred pineapple brunoise and a toasted coconut crumb.
Keeping
Keep it frozen and covered. It stays scoopable for a few days and then starts to build ice crystals: whisk it again rather than letting it set hard. That is a question of texture, not of safety.
Last refined · September 2026