Refreshingly sharp and tangy
1.5 kg plums, halved and stoned
1 vanilla pod
200g caster sugar, or more depending on the sweetness of the plums
Make the sorbet at least 12 hours before you want to serve it. Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the plums in a roasting tin. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways, chop it into a few pieces and add to the tin, along with the sugar. Roast for about 30 minutes until the plums are really soft and slightly blistered around the edges. Rub the plums and juices from the tin through a sieve into a bowl. Add more sugar to taste. Leave to cool.
Put the purée in a shallow container and place in the freezer. Take it out every hour or so and beat it to distribute the ice crystals throughout the mixture and make a soft, sorbet texture. Three interventions should do the trick; two will do if you’re pushed.
