Choose-a-Fruit Tropical Sherbet

Tips: If you don't have orange food coloring, use 1 drop red food coloring and 2 drops yellow food coloring.

Ripening or hardening homemade sherbet isn't essential, but it improves the texture and helps keep the sherbet from melting too quickly during eating. To ripen in a traditional-style ice cream freezer, after churning, remove the lid and dasher and cover the top of the freezer can with waxed paper or foil. Plug the hole in the lid with a small piece of cloth; replace the lid. Pack the outer freezer bucket with enough ice and rock salt to cover the top of the freezer can (use 1 cup salt for each 4 cups ice). Ripen about 4 hours. When using an ice cream freezer with an insulated freezer bowl, transfer the ice cream to a covered freezer container and ripen by freezing in your regular freezer about 4 hours (or follow the manufacturer's recommendations).

Variation: If you don't have an ice cream freezer, prepare as directed through Step 3. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart rectangular baking dish or freezer container. Cover; freeze for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until almost firm. Break mixture into small chunks; transfer to a large chilled bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until smooth but not melted. Return to dish or container. Cover and freeze about 4 hours more or until firm.