Lemon sorbet

Hi!

While I am typically not known for restraint and I do love layering flavours in sorbets (here’s looking at you, basil. And osmanthus tea. And vanilla and jasmine. And blackcurrant leaf)… But for one night only I restrained myself and did an acapella lemony lemon number. No lemon verbena. No lemongrass. No whistles, not even a cow bell. Just lemon.

You can obviously infuse the lemon sorbet with any and everything you love alongside lemon, but there is something really joyous about cooling off with a clean, bright and juicy lemon sorbet on a warm summer day.

And I am not saying you should, nor that I did, but if you are thus inclined you could pour a shot of chilled (infused!!) vodka over it and turn it into a Colonel/adult slushy

Lemon sorbet

Makes 1l sorbet syrup and 1,5l sorbet

285g lemon juice (from 6-10 lemons, depending on size)
220g caster/granulated sugar
Zest of 6 lemons
410g water
85g glucose syrup or mild honey (acacia, linden etc)
3g yellow pectin (optional, but improves texture)
2g locust bean gum powder (optional, but improves texture. You can substitute the pectin and locust bean gum for 5g of sorbet stabiliser, see notes)
Salt, to taste

Add the water, 200g of the sugar, glucose to a pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk the remaining sugar with the pectin and locust bean gum or stabiliser and stir into the warm syrup until completely dissolved. Heat to 85C (185F), remove from heat and add the lemon zest. Cover with clingfilm and place in an ice bath or refrigerator to quickly cool down to 5C (41F). Whisk in the lemon juice and season to taste with a pinch of salt. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois, discarding the lemon zest.

Churn the sorbet syrup in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturers instructions.

Scrape the sorbet into a chilled, lidded container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

If the sorbet is served later and is very cold, simply temper it 20 minutes in the fridge before serving to soften evenly.

Notes on stabilisers (NOT affiliate links)

I like cremodan, Louis Francois and Sosa pro sorbet/pro crema 5 (not the 100)