Mauby Sorbet

Mauby Sorbet is a frosty riff on the beloved Caribbean brew made from mauby bark. By gently extracting the bark’s aromatic bitters into water with warm spices, sweetening the infusion, and churning it into a light, spoonable dessert, you get a refreshing finish that carries the classic snap of the drink without the heft of dairy.

In many island kitchens, the bark infusion traditionally simmers alongside cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise, often brightened by orange peel, then balanced with either granulated sugar or brown sugar. This sorbet keeps that profile intact, adds a citrus lift from lime juice, rounds the edges with a touch of vanilla extract, perfumes the finish with a few dashes of Angostura bitters, and uses a pinch of fine sea salt to sharpen the flavors. A spoonful of dark rum is optional, but it helps keep the scoop velvety in the freezer.

Ingredients

• mauby bark – about 30 g (roughly 1 cup chopped bark)
• water – 4 cups, divided
• orange peel – from 1 orange (wide strips, no pith)
• cinnamon sticks – 2
• whole cloves – 6
• star anise – 2
• granulated sugar – 3/4 cup
• brown sugar – 1/2 cup, lightly packed
• lime juice – 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed
• vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
• Angostura bitters – 3 dashes (optional but classic)
• fine sea salt – a pinch
• dark rum – 1 tablespoon (optional, for softer scoops)

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, mauby bark, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes so the flavors from the mauby bark and spices fully bloom.
3. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl, pressing gently to extract liquid. Discard the spent mauby bark, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise. Return the strained infusion to the pot, add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and warm over low heat, stirring, until the sugars dissolve and the liquid looks clear.
4. Take off the heat and let cool until barely warm. Whisk in lime juice, vanilla extract, Angostura bitters, and fine sea salt. If using, stir in dark rum.
5. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours.
6. Churn the base in an ice-cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, about 20 minutes, depending on your machine.
7. Transfer to a chilled container, press a piece of parchment onto the surface, and freeze until firm, 2 to 4 hours.
8. For the best scoops, let the container sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips for flavor and texture

• Bittersweet balance: Start with the listed amounts of granulated sugar and brown sugar. For a drier, more bracing finish, reduce the granulated sugar slightly; for extra roundness and color, increase the brown sugar. A tiny pinch more fine sea salt can lift the aromatics without making the sorbet taste salty.
• Softness and scoopability: A splash of dark rum lowers the freezing point and tames iciness. Don’t overdo it; too much dark rum can prevent the sorbet from setting.
• Spice profile: Dial the intensity by adjusting the steep with your cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, and orange peel. More star anise emphasizes licorice notes; extra cinnamon sticks adds warmth; additional orange peel brings brightness but can also add gentle bitterness.
• Citrus clarity: Add the lime juice after the syrup cools to protect its fresh flavor and aroma.
• Fragrant finish: A touch of vanilla extract rounds the edges of the bark and spice. A few dashes of Angostura bitters echo the sorbet’s herbal backbone.
• Water matters: If your tap flavor is assertive, use filtered water so the delicate notes of mauby bark shine.

Serving suggestions

Serve firm scoops plain to appreciate the clean botanicals, or garnish with a twist of fresh orange peel for aroma. A sprinkle of extra-cold lime juice over each serving heightens the sparkle. For an adults-only flourish, dot the surface with a few drops of Angostura bitters or a whisper of dark rum, letting it perfume without melting the sorbet.