Equipment
Ingredients
Sherbet Base
- 85 g strawberry gelatin powder
- 240 ml water, boiling
- 396 g sweetened condensed milk
- 710 ml strawberry soda, chilled
- 1 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 241 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 47 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 46 g
- Sodium
- 151 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
- Potassium
- 184 mg
- Calcium
- 142 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 125 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 37 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 43 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the strawberry gelatin powder in a large mixing bowl. Pour the boiling water (100 degrees C / 212 degrees F) over the powder and whisk vigorously for exactly 2 minutes until all granules are completely dissolved.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and kosher salt to the hot gelatin mixture. Whisk thoroughly until perfectly smooth and uniformly pink.
Slowly pour the chilled strawberry soda down the side of the bowl to minimize excess foaming. Gently stir the mixture with the whisk using a folding motion to incorporate the liquids while preserving as much carbonation as possible.
Pour the completely mixed base into a 9x13 inch freezer-safe baking dish. The shallow depth will encourage faster, more even freezing.
Place the dish uncovered in the freezer. Every 2 hours, remove the pan and vigorously scrape and stir the freezing mixture with a sturdy whisk or fork. This mechanical agitation prevents large ice crystals from forming. Repeat this process until the mixture is fully frozen and scoopable, about 8 hours.
Chef's Notes
- Gelatin acts as a crucial hydrocolloid stabilizer in this no-churn application. By binding free water, it inhibits the migration of water molecules, drastically slowing down the formation of large, jagged ice crystals during the slow freezing process.
- Sweetened condensed milk is utilized over standard whole milk because its reduced water content and high sucrose concentration serve to further depress the freezing point of the mixture, yielding a softer, highly scoopable texture.
- Preserving the carbon dioxide bubbles from the soda by mixing it gently adds a subtle textural lightness to the final density of the dessert, mimicking overrun (air incorporation) in commercially churned ice cream.
- For an even finer, commercial-grade texture with zero manual stirring, you can freeze the liquid base completely solid in silicone ice cube trays, then process the frozen cubes in a high-powered blender just before serving.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Store in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper pressed directly against the surface to prevent freezer burn.
Troubleshooting
Large, crunchy ice crystals instead of a smooth sherbet texture
Cause: The mixture froze too slowly without sufficient mechanical agitation, or the gelatin was not fully hydrated
Fix: Allow the icy mixture to soften slightly at room temperature, process it in a blender or food processor until smooth, then refreeze
Prevention: Stir the freezing mixture vigorously every 2 hours to manually break up ice structures as they form
Gelatin clumps or rubbery lumps in the finished dessert
Cause: Gelatin was not fully dissolved in the boiling water before adding the cold ingredients
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully frozen
Prevention: Whisk the gelatin and boiling water for a full 2 minutes, checking the bottom of the bowl for unhydrated granules
Cultural Context
Originating in Maui, Hawaii, Guri-Guri is a beloved regional frozen treat created by Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Japanese word 'guri-guri', an onomatopoeia referencing the mixing or grinding sound of its traditional manufacturing process. This home adaptation uses gelatin and condensed milk to replicate the famous creamy, icy texture associated with historic Hawaiian family recipes.
