Varieties and Definitions: Sherbet

The term sherbet has many interpretations as well. The USDA’s definition is accurate to a point. Sherbets can be made with milk, fruit or fruit juice, stabilizers, and sweeteners. However, the simplest and most accurate definition is that sherbet is an ice containing less than 50 percent dairy in the total liquid, which can be water, fruit purée, or fruit juice, or a combination of these three items. For example, you can make a mascarpone sherbet, as well as a buttermilk sherbet. Sherbet should contain 1 to 2 percent milk fat and 2 to 5 percent milk solids, so the dairy content is very small compared to the remainder of the liquid. It also has about twice the amount of sugar as whole-fat ice cream so that it can form small ice crystals.