Kàyssi Khòshàbi

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Apricots (Sort into large and small before starting. Ripe apricots work best. The small ones will be cooked down for syrup; the large ones will be poached whole.)
• 0.5 pint (plus a little more if needed) Water (Used to cook the small apricots. Add a splash more if the pan looks dry.)
• 1.25 lbs Powdered sugar (Also called icing sugar or confectioners' sugar. This dissolves quickly into the juice to make a smooth syrup.)
• 2.5 pints (2–3 pints) Water (Used to poach the large apricots. Use enough to fully submerge them.)
• 0 a few drops Essence of almonds (or other flavouring essence) (Just 2–4 drops is enough. The original recipe allows for any essence you prefer, such as rose water or orange blossom.)
• 0 a few pieces Ice (Added at serving time to chill the sherbet. Crushed or cubed ice both work well.)

Instructions

1. 1Wash all 3 lbs of apricots under cold running water. Sort through them and separate them into two groups: the larger, firmer apricots in one bowl, and the smaller or softer apricots in another. Set the large apricots aside — they will be used later. The small apricots will be cooked down to make the syrup base.
2. 2Place the small apricots into a medium saucepan. Pour in half a pint (about 280 ml) of water — add a splash more if needed to just cover the base of the pan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are very soft and the stones begin to slip out on their own — this will take about 10 to 15 minutes. The fruit should be completely broken down and mushy.
3. 3Set a large, clean piece of muslin cloth (or a clean tea towel or fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth) over a large bowl or basin. Carefully pour the hot cooked apricots into the cloth. Fold the sides of the cloth up and squeeze firmly with your hands to press as much juice as possible out of the pulp into the bowl below. Discard the pulp and stones remaining in the cloth. You should be left with a rich, cloudy apricot juice in the bowl.
4. 4Pour the strained apricot juice back into the saucepan. Add the 1¼ lbs of powdered sugar and stir well to combine. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved. Let it boil for just 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Now strain the syrup a second time through the muslin cloth or fine strainer back into the clean bowl. This second straining removes any remaining sediment and gives you a smooth, clear syrup. Set the syrup aside to cool.
5. 5Place the large apricots you set aside in Step 1 into a separate saucepan. Pour in 2 to 3 pints (roughly 1.1 to 1.7 litres) of water — enough to comfortably submerge the apricots. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook until the skins of the apricots just begin to crack and split open — this usually takes around 8 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook; you want them soft but still holding their shape. Once the skins crack, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
6. 6Allow the pan of poached apricots to cool completely to room temperature — this will take at least 30 to 40 minutes. Do not rush this step; the apricots need to be fully cold before the next step. Once cold, set a fine sieve over a large glass or ceramic serving bowl. Pour the contents of the pan through the sieve so the liquid (the poaching liquor) drains into the bowl. The apricots will be caught in the sieve — keep them for the next step.
7. 7Taste the apricot poaching liquor now in your serving bowl — it will be lightly flavoured but not very sweet. Gradually stir in spoonfuls of the prepared apricot syrup from Step 4, tasting as you go, until the drink is as sweet as you like. You may not need all of the syrup. Stir gently to combine.
8. 8Gently place the poached large apricots back into the sweetened liquid in the serving bowl. Add just a few drops (2 to 4 drops) of essence of almonds — or any other flavouring essence you prefer — and stir very gently so as not to break the apricots. Finally, add a few pieces of ice to chill the sherbet, and serve immediately in glasses or bowls, making sure each portion gets one or two apricots along with the fragrant liquid.