Hawaii-Style Sherbet

Name: Hawaii-Style Sherbet
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 14 h 20 min
Yield: About 9 cups/18 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 3 (12-ounce) cans strawberry soda (or the soda flavor of your choice), 1 at room temperature and 2 chilled; 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O (or the Jell-O flavor of your choice, matching your selected soda flavor); 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (optional; see Tip)

Recipe from Neale Asato

Adapted by Ligaya Mishan

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Hawaii-Style Sherbet — Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Heather Greene. Hawaii-style Sherbet

Total Time: 20 minutes, plus at least 14 hours’ freezing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes, plus at least 14 hours’ freezing
Rating: 4(373)
Comments: Read comments

Sherbet is lusher than sorbet, more ethereal than ice cream. This recipe — a creamy, frozen concoction of soda and condensed milk, no ice-cream maker required — comes from Neale Asato, who runs the Asato Family Shop, a cult favorite in Honolulu. For people in Hawaii, Mr. Asato’s sherbet is a nostalgic callback to guri-guri (goodie-goodie), the nearly century-old specialty at Tasaka Guri Guri on Maui. Mr. Asato’s version for home cooks is easy and fun to make: Bring strawberry soda to a boil (you can do it in the microwave), add a packet of gelatin as a stabilizer, stir in condensed milk and spike with vanilla extract. Freeze to a slush, then whip on high speed, letting in the air until it expands, a pink cloud rising. Mix in more strawberry soda (and evaporated milk, if you have it on hand, to temper some of the sweetness), then freeze again. Break out an ice-cream scoop. Shiver. —Ligaya Mishan

Featured in: A Dessert Recipe So Good, I Was Sworn to Secrecy

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Ingredients

Yield:About 9 cups/18 servings

3(12-ounce) cans strawberry soda (or the soda flavor of your choice), 1 at room temperature and 2 chilled
1(3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O (or the Jell-O flavor of your choice, matching your selected soda flavor)
1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2teaspoons vanilla extract
½(12-ounce) can evaporated milk (optional; see Tip)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Bring the contents of the can of room-temperature strawberry soda to a boil, either in a microwave in a medium, microwave-safe bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, or in a medium saucepan on the stovetop.
Step 2
Remove from heat and whisk in dry Jell-O mix until thoroughly dissolved, then whisk in condensed milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step 3
Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight, or freeze for 2 to 3 hours, until thickened. When it’s ready, it will have a texture akin to a loose jelly.
Step 4
Whisk the mixture using an electric hand or stand mixer on high speed for 3 to 7 minutes, until it starts to lighten in color and almost doubles in volume. (If you do not have an electric mixer, whisk by hand for about 10 minutes.) Whipping the gelatin helps to stabilize the mixture and introduces tiny air bubbles, which make it less icy once frozen, and easier to scoop.
Step 5
Turn the speed to low and stir in the remaining 2 chilled cans of strawberry soda, followed by the evaporated milk (if using).
Step 6
Transfer the mixture to a container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or for at least 12 hours before scooping and serving.

Tip

Evaporated milk is optional, but adds a nice milky flavor and tempers some of the sweetness.

Ratings

4 out of 5

373 user ratings

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Comments

Wendy K1 year ago

For people who shy away from unnatural ingredients, try making strawberry soda from real strawberries and sugar and then adding sparkling water. To make the strawberries, hull and halve 1 1/2 pounds strawberries. Toss with about 3/4 cups of sugar in a metal bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place over a bowl of simmering water and leave for 30 - 45 minutes. Remove from heat and when cool, strain the juice. Or puree the whole thing. Add sparkling water to taste.

Jan Morgan1 year ago

This was a fun read, nostalgically recalling other summertime treats. I remember making, in high school, a dessert called ‘Frozen Passion’ - one large bottle of orange soda and one can of sweetened condensed milk, hand cranked in an old-fashioned ice cream freezer (the only kind available, in my day). Was this concoction overly sweet, artificially colored, nutritionally dubious? Of course. Was it also delicious, easy, fun, memorable? You betcha…..

Akele1 year ago

I remember that crack seed store well, and will be sure to make this ono recipe this summer, dusting it off with the stash of li hing mui powder my ohana from Hawaii sends me. If you don't understand the flavors from the islands you are truly missing out. Mahalo plenty for this gem.

lisa11 months ago

This was fabulous! I had none of the icy weird texture problems others reported. I used the evaporated milk & it was smooth & delicious. I did use the electric mixer for 10 minutes just to make sure it was well blended. So great on a hot day like today.

JohnAka11 months ago

First, we love fake strawberry flavor. And this delivered it in spades. It was certainly sweet but the evaporated milk tamed that a bit. Otherwise the directions were easy to follow and made sense. I’m certainly interested in trying versions with less ultra high processed ingredients and even a vegan version.

Duffi1 year ago

Can I make this with guava juice?

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