Get ready to savour the tangy and refreshing delight of homemade lemon sorbet! This zesty treat is bursting with the vibrant, tart flavour of fresh lemons, making it the perfect dessert for those hot summer days or as a palate cleanser during a multi-course meal.
Creating your own lemon sorbet is easier than you might think. With just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a batch of this cool and citrusy goodness in no time. Start by squeezing the juice from fresh lemons, ensuring you get that bright and tangy flavour. Combine the lemon juice with sugar syrup, made by dissolving sugar in water, to achieve the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
The secret to a velvety smooth sorbet lies in the freezing process. Once you have your lemon mixture ready, pour it into an ice cream maker or a shallow dish. If using a dish, remember to stir the mixture every 30 minutes. This will break up ice crystals and create that perfect, scoopable texture. After a few hours of freezing, your lemon sorbet will be ready to enjoy.
The beauty of homemade lemon sorbet is its versatility. You can serve it as a refreshing palate cleanser between courses or as a light and tangy dessert on its own. You can even use it as an accompaniment for other desserts like a chocolate mousse or a ginger cake. Its subtle yellow colour and refreshing flavour are sure to impress your guests and leave them craving for more.
Not only is homemade lemon sorbet a delightful treat for the taste buds, but it also offers some health benefits. Lemons are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, which can boost your immune system and promote overall well-being. So, you can indulge in this guilt-free dessert knowing that it’s not only delicious but also good for you.
So, as the saying goes, if life gives you lemon, make homemade lemon sorbet! It’s a simple yet impressive dessert that will brighten up any occasion and leave a lasting impression on your taste buds.
Equipment: An Ice Cream Maker is optional for this recipe but if you don’t have one never fear. Get out your Blender and some basic equipment like a set of Electronic scales and a Resealable, freezer-safe container and follow the instructions below
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Homemade Lemon Sorbet Recipe
Homemade Lemon Sorbet
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker Optional (See recipe for a simple, manual alternative)
- 1 Resealable, freezer-safe container At least 1 lt in size
- 1 Sieve
Ingredients
- 290 grams Sugar (Caster or superfine)
- 360 ml Water
- 150 ml Lemon juice (Approximately 4 lemons)
Instructions
Prep
- Squeeze lemons if using fresh and then cut off thin slithers of the skin (See recipe notes)
- Weigh/ measure out your ingredients
To Make
- Place the water and sugar in a pan over a medium high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and add the lemon juice and peel (if using) and leave to cool. Place in an ice bath if you wish to speed up the cooling process (See recipe notes)
- If using an ice cream maker, sieve the cooled mixture to remove the peel and follow user guides for best results. Eat immediately or place in a resealable, freezer-safe container and store in the freezer
- If making the sorbet manually, sieve the cooled liquid into a resealable, freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for 1 hour. After the hour, remove from the freezer and stir well with a spatula or spoon, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container and place back in the freezer. Repeat every hour until a smooth, frozen sorbet texture is reached
To Serve
- Store in the freezer and remove 10-15 minutes (depending on your ambient temperature) ahead of serving to allow the sorbet to soften
Notes
- Using slithers of peel is not essential and you can use bottled lemon juice if you wish although in a recipe like this where the lemon is the sole flavour, I would recommend fresh juice. The peel should be cut off thinly with a sharp knife or a sharp potato peeler but avoid the white pith as much as possible. If you don’t have a juicer then do what I do. Cut the lemon in half, shove a fork into the fleshy insides and squeeze the lemon around it over a bowl
- For this purpose, an ice bath is just placing your bowl inside a slightly bigger bowl with ice and/ or cold water at the bottom. Make sure not to overfill so the water doesn’t reach into the granita mixture and stir occasionally until cooled
- I always encourage people to taste recipes as they make them, it’s an essential part of cooking and making you more than just a recipe follower. Taste your mixture before you freeze it, add a little more lemon juice or sugar depending on your own taste. It’s your recipe once you make it!