Description
Homemade lemon sorbet delivers refreshing Mediterranean flavors with pure citrus brightness. Zesty lemons and simple ingredients combine for a cool, elegant dessert that delights palates and cools summer afternoons.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 6–7 lemons)
- 1.25 cups (300 ml) honey
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
Instructions
- Zest Preparation: Delicately extract aromatic lemon zest, carefully avoiding the bitter white membrane beneath the citrus skin.
- Syrup Creation: In a medium saucepan, combine lemon zest, honey, and water over medium heat, whisking continuously to ensure smooth honey dissolution and prevent burning.
- Flavor Infusion: Bring the liquid to a robust boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the ingredients to harmonize and develop a rich, complex flavor profile.
- Cooling Process: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature, which typically takes 20-25 minutes, releasing aromatic essence.
- Juice Integration: Strain the cooled syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, then incorporate freshly squeezed lemon juice, blending thoroughly to create a vibrant, tangy base.
- Freezing Technique: For ice cream maker method, refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours, then churn according to manufacturer’s instructions for 20-25 minutes. For manual freezing, transfer to a shallow freezer-safe dish, scraping and breaking ice crystals every hour until achieving a smooth, granular consistency.
- Serving and Storage: Present the lemon sorbet immediately in chilled glasses or preserve in an airtight container, maintaining optimal texture for up to one week in the freezer.
Notes
- Zest with Care: Gently remove lemon zest, avoiding the bitter white pith for a pure, vibrant flavor.
- Prevent Scorching: Continuously whisk the honey and water mixture to ensure even heat distribution and smooth texture.
- Chill Thoroughly: Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours before churning to achieve optimal sorbet consistency.
- Scrape Consistently: When freezing manually, scrape ice crystals every hour to create a light, granular texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Drinks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg