Harold McGee's Fruit Ices

These are the charts from the chapter "Fruit Ices, Cold and Calculated" from the book The Curious Cook by Harold McGee.

The medium-sweet water ices are best for sorbet. Mix the ingredients together, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Freeze in your ice cream freezer.

Granitas and Medium Sweet Water Ices

(Proportions for 2 Cups Mix)

Fruit	Fruit Juice or Puree	Sugar	Lemon Juice	Water to make 2 cups (approx)
Apple	1 cup	6 Tb	2 Tb	¾ cup
Apricot	1	7	1	¾
Avocado	1	8	2	¾
Banana	1	5	2	¾
Blackberry	1	7	2	¾
Black Currant	¾	7	0	1
Blueberry	1	6	2	¾
Cactus Pear	1	6	2	¾
Cherry	1	5	2	¾
Cranberry	¾	8	0	1
Fig	1	5	2	¾
Gooseberry	1	6	1	¾
Grape	1	5	2	¾
Grapefruit	1	7	0	¾
Guava	1	7	2	¾
Kiwi	¾	6	0	1
Lemon	½	8	0	1 ¼
Lime	½	8	0	1 ¼
Litchi	1	5	2	¾
Mango	1	6	2	¾
Melon*	1	6	2	¾
Cantaloupe	1	7	2	¾
Orange*	1	6	2	¾
Papaya	1	6	2	¾
Passion Fruit	¾	7	0	1
Peach	1	6	2	¾
Pear	1	6	2	¾
Persimmon	1	5	2	¾
Pineapple	1	5	2	¾
Plum	1	6	2	¾
Pomegranate	1	5	2	¾
Raspberry	1	7	2	¾
Red Currant	1	7	1	¾
Strawberry	1	7	2	¾
Tomato	1	8	2	¾
Water**	1	8	(3)	¾

* Melon and orange granits can be made with undiluted juice, if you prefer; use proportions in the Medium-Sweet Fruit Ices chart.

** Use to make plain water infusions of coffee, tea or herbs. Some infusions may be best with little or no added lemon juice. Adjust according to taste.

Medium-Sweet Fruit Ices

(Proportions for 2 Cups Mix)

Fruit	Fruit Juice or Puree	Sugar	Lemon Juice	Water *
Apple	1 ¾ cups	3 Tb	2 Tb
Apricot	1 ½	6	0	4 Tb
Avocado	1 ½	7	2
Banana	1 ¾	2	2
Blackberry	1 ¾	6	0	2
Blueberry	1 ¾	4	2
Cactus Pear	1 ¾	4	2
Cherry	1 ¾	3	2
Fig	1 ¾	3	2
Grape	1 ¾	3	2
Guava	1 ¾	6	2
Litchi	1 ¾	1	2
Mango	1 ¾	2	2
Melon	1 ¾	5	2
Cantaloupe	1 ¾	6	2
Orange	1 ¾	4	0
Papaya	1 ¾	6	2
Peach	1 ¾	5	2
Pear	1 ¾	5	2
Persimmon	1 ¾	3	2
Pineapple	1 ¾	4	0	2
Plum	1 ¾	5	1
Pomegranate	1 ¾	4	0	2
Raspberry	1 ¾	6	0	2
Red Currant	1 ¾	6	0	4
Strawberry	1 ¾	6	0	2
Tomato	1 ¾	7	2

* These mostly minor adjustments of acidity are a matter of taste, and can be omitted.

Sweet Fruit Ices

(Proportions for 2 Cups Mix)

Fruit	Fruit Juice or Puree	Sugar	Lemon Juice	Water *
Apple	1 ½ cups	9 Tb	2 Tb
Apricot	1 ½	10	0	4 Tb
Avocado	1 ½	13	2
Banana	1 ½	7	2
Blackberry	1 ½	11	0	2
Blueberry	1 ½	10	2
Cactus Pear	1 ½	10	2
Cherry	1 ½	8	2
Fig	1 ½	8	2
Grape	1 ½	8	2
Guava	1 ½	11	2
Litchi	1 ½	7	2
Mango	1 ½	9	2
Melon	1 ½	11	2
Cantaloupe	1 ½	12	2
Orange	1 ½	11	1
Papaya	1 ½	11	2
Peach	1 ½	10	2
Pear	1 ½	10	2
Persimmon	1 ½	8	2
Pineapple	1 ½	8	1
Plum	1 ½	10	2
Pomegranate	1 ½	9	1
Raspberry	1 ½	11	0	2
Red Currant	1 ½	12	0	2
Strawberry	1 ½	11	0	2
Tomato	1 ½	13	2

* These mostly minor adjustments of acidity are a matter of taste, and can be omitted.

Sweet Water Ices

(Proportions for 2 Cups Mix)

Fruit	Fruit Juice or Puree	Sugar	Lemon Juice *	Water to make 2 cups (approx)
Apple	1 cup	11 Tb	2+ Tb	½ cup
Apricot	1	12	2	½
Avocado	¾	14	2+	¾
Banana	1	10	2+	½
Blackberry	1	12	2	½
Black Currant	¾	13	0	¾
Blueberry	1	12	2+	½
Cactus Pear	1	12	2+	½
Cherry	1	11	2+	½
Cranberry	¾	13	0	¾
Fig	1	10	2+	½
Gooseberry	1	12	1	½
Grape	1	10	2+	½
Grapefruit	1	13	0	½
Guava	1	12	2+	½
Kiwi	¾	12	0	¾
Lemon	½	14	0	1
Lime	½	14	0	1
Litchi	1	10	2+	½
Mango	1	12	2+	½
Melon	1	12	2+	½
Cantaloupe	1	13	2+	½
Orange	1	12	2+	½
Papaya	1	12	2+	½
Passion Fruit	¾	13	0	¾
Peach	1	12	2+	½
Pear	1	12	2+	½
Persimmon	1	11	2+	½
Pineapple	1	11	2+	½
Plum	1	11	2	½
Pomegranate	1	11	2+	½
Raspberry	1	12	2	½
Red Currant	1	13	1	½
Strawberry	1	12	2	½
Tomato	1	13	2+	½
Water**	1	14	2+	¾

* If you add more than 2 Tb lemon juice, the ices will have a noticeable lemon flavor. Adjust to your own taste.

** Use to make plain water infusions of coffee, tea or herbs. Some infusions may be best with little or no added lemon juice. Adjust according to taste.