Lemon Sorbet- A fresh, tangy treat that turns a bowl of lemons into pure sunshine

Lemon sorbet is a simple and incredibly refreshing way to use lemons. We especially enjoy it as the weather starts to warm up. It’s sweet, tangy, and just the thing for a hot day.
We recently found ourselves with a surplus of lemons from the nursery and decided to whip up a batch. It turned out so well, we had to share it!

This is a fantastic recipe whether you have an ice cream maker or not. The texture is smooth either way, and the flavour is bright and zesty — thanks to the fresh lemon juice and zest. Experiment with different types of lemons, to find your favourite lemon sorbet. Each lemon has a slightly different taste. We used a collection of Meyer, Yen Ben, Lisbon and Villa Franca lemons that we had sitting in the fruit bowl. 

This will make approximately 1.5L of sorbet

Photo Above: Lemon Sorbet with frozen raspberries. Made in an ice-cream maker

Ingredients

● 4 cups lemon juice (strained)
● Zest of 4–8 lemons, depending on size
● 1½ cups sugar
● 1½ cups water
● ¾ cup water (for second syrup)
● ¾ cup sugar (for second syrup)
● ½ cup alcohol (vodka, gin or limoncello – optional but recommended)

Method (Ice Cream Maker)

1. Zest the lemons and finely chop the zest.
2. Add zest to the sugar and rub together with your fingers to release the lemon oils. If you allow the sugar to sit while you do the following steps, the sugar and zest will become slightly damp.
3. Juice the lemons to get 4 cups of juice. Strain out any pulp or seeds.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1½ cups water, the sugar, and zest. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Set aside to cool, then add the lemon juice.
5. In a separate small saucepan, combine ¾ cup water, ½ cup sugar, and ½ cup alcohol.
6. Bring to a boil to evaporate the alcohol (important if serving to kids, pregnant people, etc.). Let cool slightly, then mix into the lemon mixture.
7. Chill the combined mixture in the fridge if not already cool.
8. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
9. You may need to churn in two batches depending on your machine.
10. Once set, transfer to a container and freeze until firm.

No Ice Cream Maker? No problem.
1. Complete steps 1–6 above.
2. Pour the chilled mixture into a wide, shallow dish and place in the freezer.
3. Once ice crystals begin to form (after about 30–45 minutes), stir or scrape with a fork to
break them up.
4. Repeat this every 20–30 minutes until the mixture is frozen and fluffy.
5. For an even smoother texture, transfer the frozen mixture to a food processor and blitz
until silky.

Photo Above: Lemon Sorbet made in the food processor

Helpful Tips
● Lemon variety matters: True lemon varieties have an intense tart lemon taste. Examples include: Eureka, Yen Ben, Lisbon, Genoa and Villa Franca. Hybrid lemons like Meyer and Lemonade are sweeter and less acidic. This means they will probably need less sugar. Taste and adjust before freezing. Keep in mind if you add more sugar it will affect the ability for the sorbet to freeze.
● Alcohol adds flavour and helps texture, but too much can stop the sorbet from
freezing properly. That’s why we recommend boiling it off — the flavour remains, but the
alcohol doesn’t interfere with freezing.
● Deep freezer vs fridge freezer: A deep freezer will give you a firmer set. Either will
work, but we liked the texture best after freezing in a deep freezer and softening slightly
on the bench before serving.

Food processor tip: If you don’t have an ice cream maker, the food processor method
works wonderfully. The texture is very close to churned sorbet — most people won’t
notice the difference!