Simple Sorbet au Champagne

Simple Sorbet au Champagne is a decadent dessert drink that is perfect for parties, small gatherings, or date night in! It’s made with just a handful of ingredients (and no fancy equipment needed)! Top with your favorite fruits and serve it either dry or sweet. {Gluten-free}

Is it a drink or is it a dessert? The simple answer is YES. Simple Sorbet au Champagne tastes dessert-y and sweet and wonderful. When we’re in the mood for something fancy (think New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day), this is the drink we prepare! And it’s all thanks to my mom’s obsession with the Kennedys. 

In high school, I found In Kennedy Style: Magical Evenings in the Kennedy White House by Letitia Baldrige for $4.99 (instead of the usual $29.99 – whaaaaaa???), and I couldn’t pass it up. Granted it gathered dust on my shelf for about 10 years, but it’s thanks to that discovery this recipe even exists. I updated the original recipe, Sorbet au Champagne, by White House chef René Verdon, to meet our family’s needs. And, admittedly, I’m not a White House chef, nor do I have the same equipment in my kitchen. So I simplified the recipe. But fear not, the overall taste feels heavenly.  

This drink looks like a fluffy cloud sitting atop champagne. And this treat is so delicious, I’ll even scoop the frozen portion with a spoon so I don’t miss a single drop. Simple Sorbet au Champagne feels like a guilty pleasure treat but without all the physical effort that often accompanies decadent but complicated recipes. I’m not into that. And if you aren’t either, then this treat is for you!

Simple Sorbet au Champagne ingredients

• Champagne (sweet or dry)
• Agave nectar (I don’t use honey in this recipe because it’s too viscous to blend with the other ingredients)
• Lemon juice
• Egg white
• Fresh or frozen fruit

Tips to make your own Simple Sorbet au Champagne

For better or for worse, this recipe moves quickly. I like to plot my steps prior to getting started so I don’t have a messy kitchen when I’m done!

• Keep at least two bottles of champagne on hand so you have enough to make the cubes and enough to pour into the serving glasses.
• Beat the egg white for about two to three minutes on HIGH so it forms a stiff peak.
• If using a plastic ice cube tray, scoop the mostly-frozen champagne cubes (they won’t freeze entirely) out with a spoon and quickly transfer them to the serving glasses just prior to serving.
• Top with fresh or frozen fruit such as strawberries or raspberries

Verdon’s original recipe calls for an ice cream machine, or metal pan and to cover and freeze it for about two hours. If you have a metal pan, then you can pour the blended mixture into it, cover and chill for the suggested two hours, and then soften the sorbet just enough to break into chunks for serving. Otherwise, the ice cube tray method mentioned above will work, too!

Lastly, the ice cubes will store well in the freezer for about one to two days. So if you’d like to make these ahead of time, then you can! Just make sure they are well covered.

If you didn’t already have a decadent but totally simple recipe to ring in the holidays or to celebrate a gathering, then you do now! Happy celebrating, friends! Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

~ Adapted from In Kennedy Style: Magical Evenings in the Kennedy White House by Letitia Baldrige, featuring recipes from former White House chef René Verdon, pg. 78.

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