@troyp
Latest posts by Troy Pesola (see all)
- How to Make Lemon Sorbet - February 4, 2012
- Simple Video Backgrounds - January 29, 2012
- Samson Meteor Mic For Podcasts, Vlogs, or Videos - January 4, 2012
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Lemon sorbet ended my quest. I love frozen treats but am trying to limit my sugar intake. Going cold-turkey and cutting of my supply of frozen treats wasn’t going to happen. So I went on a quest to find alternatives and discovered how to make Lemon Sorbet.
This frozen treat is tasty, but tart as tart can be. But that’s a good thing since it limits how much you can eat. I know. I’m prone to consuming large quantities of frozen treats when given the chance. But with this lemon sorbet recipe I’ll enjoy a small serving and feel satisfied. So next time you want to try a tart dessert make your own lemon sorbet.
How to Make Lemon Sorbet
The process to make lemon sorbet is three main steps: make two liquids, chill-out, and churn.
Two Liquids in Lemon Sorbet
The two liquids that are used to make lemon sorbet are lemon/alcohol and a thin syrup. The lemon/alcohol mixture provides the flavor and by adding the alcohol you help prevent your sorbet from becoming an oversized popsicle. The thin syrup adds sweetness and also helps to prevent solid freezing.
Lemony Goodness of Lemon Sorbet
The aim of this liquid is to add as much lemony goodness as possible. The ingredient list is amazingly short with just two elements:
- 4 lemons, juiced
- 3 Tbs alcohol
Find some lemons that have that perfect fruity-firmness. Perhaps you can relate. My grandma taught me how to pick fruit. She’d grasp the fruit in the palm of her hand, and gently squeeze. The motion was almost imperceptible. She was judging how ripe the fruit was by testing for fruity-firmness. If the skin of the fruit was solid it wasn’t ready. If the fruit gave way making you feel like the skin may just burst in your hand, it was way past ready. She said that fruity-firmness was the ideal where you could just barely feel the fruit give.
I loved watching and learning from her. She would grasp fruit, squeeze, spin, squeeze; then either toss aside or keep for use in some heavenly concoction to be created in her kitchen.
When you search for lemons to make lemon sorbet go on a quest for four lemons that exhibit that perfect fruity-firmness. Your taste buds will thank you.
When you are ready to make your lemon sorbet, wash the lemons, then cut each in half. Squeeze each half into a strainer over a bowl. The bowl will collect the seeds and the large pieces of pulp. After you squeeze all you can from the lemon half, rub the bits of pulp against the strainer to coax that last bit of lemony goodness out. Repeat the process for all four lemons. While I didn’t measure how much juice I got, I was a bit surprised how much was produced from brutalizing four small yellow fruit.
Now add in three tablespoons of alcohol. We had white wine in the house, so that is what I used. Others say that vodka, or even everclear, are excellent choices. Basically, we just want to add enough alcohol to help create the proper smooth texture of a sorbet and avoid the tupperware-sized popsicle.
Thin Syrup for Lemon Sorbet
The second liquid needed to make the perfect lemon sorbet is a thin syrup. Again this liquid is made with two ingredients and a little work. Simply combine these two ingredients in a small sauce pan:
- 300 ml water
- 200 g sugar
Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil while stirring frequently with a wire whisk. Then, when it is rapidly boiling, quit stirring. No leave it alone, remove the whisk and be mesmerized by the raging bubbles for five minutes. Okay so you don’t actually have to spend the entire time staring at the bubbles, but do set a timer and let it boil without stirring for five full minutes.
Chill-Out to Make Lemon Sorbet
This step is key to your success. Do not, I repeat, do not skip this. I know it takes time, but they say all good things take time. Take time to chill your two liquids needed to make lemon sorbet.
Here I suggest that you need to phases of chilling-out to make lemon sorbet: room temp and deep freeze.
Room Temp Chillin’ For Lemon Sorbet
Your lemony goodness can just sit nearby enjoying more room temperature chillin’. We need to focus our efforts here on the thin syrup. For the thin syrup, let the pan cool by placing it in a large bowl filled with ice cubes. When it has cooled for several minutes and is nearing room temperature, move on to the next chill-out phase.
Deep Freeze Chillin’ For Lemon Sorbet
Take your sauce pan out of the ice bath, dry it off, then find a place for both liquids in your freezer. The deep freeze is where we want to keep the liquids until we start to see ice forming. Check them periodically and stir.
Be patient. Chill until your see ice. This will help the lemon sorbet form quickly when we start churning.
Churn Your Lemon Sorbet
Churn, baby, churn. I’ve done this using a home ice cream maker, but you can do it in a bowl as well. Combine the ingredients in the home ice cream maker and turn it on. Let the machine churn your lemony-goodness into the thin syrup. While it churns it also continues to help the liquids freeze; churn, freeze, churn, freeze.
Without a home ice cream maker just combine the ingredients in a bowl, stir, then put in the freezer. Then after a few minutes, check on it, stir, and put it back in the freezer.
Enjoy Your Lemon Sorbet
After 10-15 minutes your liquids should have combined into a nice thick lemon sorbet. You can scoop and enjoy right away, or move it into a air-tight container and freeze until you are ready to enjoy.
How To Make Lemon Sorbet With Grumpy Joe
I found this video as an excellent depiction of making lemon sorbet with Grumpy Joe. He uses the same recipe with some interesting acting tossed in for good measure.
Make Some Lemon Sorbet
So now it is your turn to make some lemon sorbet. Make it tart as tart can be. And post your thoughts on this frozen dessert, your very own lemon sorbet.
Looks very good. I’ll try it. Thanks for sharing.
Stephen Peters recently posted..The Cash Cow Eaten by The dog
Twitter: troyp
Thanks Stephen, I’ve made two batches so far and it is incredibly delicious. It is by far the best recipe I’ve tried with our ice cream maker.
Let’s hear how it goes for you if you try it out.
-Troy
Troy Pesola recently posted..What Is Keeping Me Awake? Chocolate, Stress, or Creative Genius
Giving this a try this weekend. Interesting going with the 200/300 ratio on the simple syrup. Usually see equal parts, so I\’m curious to see how this turns out. Thanks!
Twitter: troyp
Let’s hear how it goes Trent.
The other part that was new to me was the instruction to “leave it boiling for 5 minutes without stirring”. All of the other syrup recipes I’ve tried had required constant stirring.
Troy Pesola recently posted..Featured in The Spartacus Vengeance Workout
I love lemon sorbet and I just started a low sugar and low carbs diet yesterday so this looks good.
Matt Kinsella recently posted..Paid To Play
Twitter: troyp
Matt, While I won’t claim this is either low sugar or low carb – it has worked for me as a desert I’ll eat “just a little”. Me and quantity control with ice cream just doesn’t work. With Lemon Sorbet I have a chance.
What sparked your choice to switch to low sugar and low carb diet?
Troy Pesola recently posted..5 Myths About Intermittent Fasting, And Why They’re Not True
That looks good. It sounds like a lot of work to make it though.
Beth Parker recently posted..Lucchese N4551 Boots
I’ve never made lemon sorbet, but with this recipe I’m sure that Ill do a great job. Thanks for sharing such in depth step by step instructions.
All the best,
Eren
Eren Mckay recently posted..Anne Geddes Baby Shower Invitations
Twitter: troyp
Eren, You’ll do great! The process is fairly simple. Enjoy!
Troy Pesola recently posted..Interview with Danny Iny | Marketing, Online-Work, and Fitness
Sorbet is one of my favourites. It’s a great choice for a party, especially after a heavy meal. I like add a splash of vodka to mine
Twitter: troyp
Sally, Just make sure it is only a “splash” of vodka. Otherwise at some point it will become a batch of Lemoncello instead. I really want to give that process a try – maybe someday.
Troy Pesola recently posted..Interview with Danny Iny | Marketing, Online-Work, and Fitness
Twitter: Elena__Anne
Very good idea Troy!
This is a great dessert especially after a meal with fish!
Lemon is rich in Vitamin C, that is considered to some the most important antioxidant present in nature. It’s difficult to have a dessert without sugar, but fat free is an option. Your lemony goodness can provide that! Try this with strawberries too, it’s delicious!
elena_anne recently posted..Nutrition in Winter: Maintain Your Immune System
It looks so delicious! I have never made lemon sorbe by myself. I should give this a try on my free weekends. Thank you for the steps.
Cheolsu recently posted..PNR Status
Looks like just the thing for a gal try to watch her weight.
Twitter: troyp
Tricia, Well I can’t say there are any sorbet fat-loss diets.
But the Lemon Sorbet is tart enough that it is a dessert where you can have a small portion and enjoy it. Sometimes a creative approach to shrinking calorie intake can be helpful.
-Troy
Troy recently posted..Hill Sprints For Fat Loss
Thanks for sharing this, but I think it’s not so easy to prepare it properly.
Ujjal Sen recently posted..WhisperKOOL Split 4000
Twitter: troyp
Ujjal, which step(s) are giving you trouble? I’ve made this a few times and unlike some other recipes this one has worked consistently. I’m curious now.
-Troy
Troy recently posted..Top 8 Ways to Avoid Sports Injuries when Working Out
Twitter: donmanualcom
Mmm..yummy! Thanks for recipe! I’m going to make it. It’s so hot here, in Playa del Carmen. Maybe it will help to feel better.
donmanual recently posted..How I learned Spanish by Watching Mexican Soap Opera
Twitter: AllSeasonsWA
A really interesting recipe for lemon sorbet. I would like to use it for my catering company in Perth, Western Australia. Do you envisage any problems in creating the sorbet for a large party of people (50 – 200)?
Obviously, I can’t produce individual sorbets in these amounts. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Twitter: AllSeasonsWA
Sorry, I meant to say that I need to create the sorbets in bulk amounts. Do I simply multiply the ingredients by the number of guests I wish to serve or is there a better way to do it. Also, can I freeze any unused sorbets for safe future serving?
Twitter: troyp
Michael, That’s a great question. I don’t see why you couldn’t scale the recipe up for a big group.
I think your challenge might be getting it to freeze nice and smooth. Part of the key to that is stirring it during the freezing process. If you could find a commercial ice cream churn that would be perfect.
Or perhaps get creative and find a way to put a large mixer in a freezer.
It is possible to freeze without an ice cream machine. It just requires that you put the mixture in a bowl (or bowls) in the freezer, then stir it up several times while it continues to freeze. Not sure how that process would go.
Let us know what you end up doing and how it goes.
You also asked if it can be kept in the freezer for future use — YES. I don’t know how LONG it would keep, but the batches I have made have kept very well while I took little servings out for myself.
Twitter: AllSeasonsWA
Thanks for the tips, Troy. As it’s summer down here in Perth, Western Australia, sorbets are very topical. I am offering them to my customers and will let you know how I get on.
350g caster sugar
14 lemons, at least 5 unwaxed
Twitter: musicianmakers7
I’ll definitely try this out. Should be a healthier alternative to ice cream!
Leslie Edwards recently posted..The Basics On How To Make Electronic Music: Drum Loops
Sounds like a great recipe. I’m not a huge fan of ice cream when it’s really hot outside so this will be good to have on hand, plus it’s always cheaper and healthier to make it yourself instead of buying it in the grocery store. I’ll make lemon first but I might venture out and make a lime/raspberry one too.
Jessi Larson recently posted..25% Off Chan Luu Style Natural Green Jasper Leather Wrap Bracelets by Onsra
Thanks for this great recipe; serves us ice cream lovers right, especially because of its low sugar content and ease with which to make it.