Sorbetto al Limone
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A sorbet should capture the bright, sun-kissed essence of a fruit, but few of us have access to perfectly ripe lemons — tempering them with some orange juice will help soften the acidity. This recipe has a retro touch in the shape of a hollowed-out lemon shell used as the vessel to serve the sorbet in. These will keep in the freezer for up to a month with the sorbet still tasting zesty and fresh.
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This recipe is an extract from The Gourmand's Lemon, curated by David Lane and Marina Tweed (TASCHEN books). Image credit The Gourmand.
Next, why not try more ice cream recipes from the House & Garden recipe archive?
Ingredients
Ingredients
Equipment
Preparation
Method
Step 1
Put the sugar and 600 ml of water in a saucepan with the lemon and orange zest. Bring slowly to the boil, then boil rapidly for 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, strain the fruit juices through a sieve into a bowl and add the limoncello, if using.
Step 3
While the syrup cools, cut the tops off the remaining six lemons, and shave a little off each base so that they will stand up without wobbling. Carefully scoop out the flesh to make the lemon shells, then squeeze and keep the extra juice in the fridge or freezer to be used another time. Set the empty shells on a tray and freeze.
Step 4
When the flavoured syrup is cold, strain it into the bowl of fruit juice. Cover and chill — this will speed up the freezing process.
Step 5
To make a sorbet without an ice cream machine,* pour the chilled liquid into the shallow metal baking tin, and freeze until the sorbet is frozen around the edges. Mash the frozen sorbet well with a fork, and mix with the central, softer mix. Repeat this step once or twice until it is all frozen but still creamy.
Step 6
Whisk an egg white until stiff. Using an electric hand whisk, drop a spoonful of the sorbet into the egg white, whisking well, then repeat, whisking well between each spoonful, until the mixture is thick and foamy.
Step 7
Return the mixture to the freezer until firm but scoopable. The egg white will keep the sorbet soft enough to scoop. Spoon the firm but scoopable sorbet into the frozen lemon shells and set the tops back on. Place them upright in a freezer-proof box (a thick plastic one will work). Cover and replace in the freezer until refrozen. Soften in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Step 8
If keeping for longer than a couple of days, pack the filled shells tightly into a freezer-proof container for up to one month. How-ever, the sooner it can be eaten, the better.
Step 9
* If you have an electric ice cream maker, churn and freeze the chilled syrup as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until the sorbet is thick and soft. There is no need to use egg whites. Once churned, use the sorbet to fill the lemon shells as above, and replace in the freezer until it’s ready to serve.
