~-~-~ Lemon Sorbet ~-~-~

I love lemons.  Has to be close to my #1 favorite flavor.  So when I saw lemons on sale at the grocery, I knew it was time to make some lemon sorbet.

The first step in this process was finding a recipe.  I have *many* cookbooks (you would think I would cook more, huh) but I knew which one to pull out -- Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book.  I've made several recipes from this book and they have all been good.  I used the Lemon Daiquiri recipe minus the rum.  Super easy -- no cooking involved.  Which is a good thing since it's 90 degrees here today!  Here's what it looked like:

Then I threw it into the ice cream maker.  I use this:

I think it works very well for a little home machine.  Some tips:

• Think cold!  Freeze the ice cream bowl for at least a day.
• Chill the mixture for about an hour before putting it into the icecream maker.
• Start the machine and then pour in the mixture.
• Put all untesils you will be using in the freezer.

It's really very simple, I assure you!  Here's progress pictures:

First picture shows what it will look like just after pouring in the mixture.  After about 15-20 minutes it will look opaque and slushy, like picture #2.  The third picture shows the finished sorbet after about 35 minutes in the machine.  At this point I removed it from the ice cream maker and put it into a pre-chilled freezer container.  It will continue to harden in the freezer. 

But of course I left out some for me & Pete to sample. . .

Oh, I wish I had a sprig of mint, so that it would look all professional.  It was very tasty and refreshing and I'll be making more sorbets this summer!

Comments

[Emy]

Ooh, that looks wonderful! Now I know what I can do with all of the lemons on my tree in the backyard! ;)

(Ah, the glories of living in CA)

[michele]

That looks fabulous...I have a ton of mint in my backyard....wish I were there. Your post showed it wonderfully. Enjoy!

[RK]

Ooh, I wish I had an ice cream maker!

A trick for sorbet a friend and I discovered one summer, when living in student housing, without a lot of fancy kitchen equipment:

Get a big can of canned peaches or pears with light syrup. Pour it into a blender or food processor. Add a bit of vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and/or anything else that fits your fancy. Puree, and then pour into a very shallow layer, such as in a cookie sheet. Sit flat in the freezer and let it freeze partway. Put it back in the blender and puree again. Put back in the freezer if it's not solid enough. If it's solid enough, eat up! It's super simple and super refreshing on a really hot summer day. (Especially if it's a hot, swampy southern Minnesota day, and you have a wimpy fan and no air conditioning.)

[Marlena]

You are such a bad influence! Now I feel like I NEED an ice cream machine!

[Alyx]

That looks WONDERFUL! We have the Krups icecream maker that is very similar to yours. I'm going to have to try lemon sorbet in it, yumm.

[Andrea]

Mmm, envy....

[Kristin]

That sounds really good. I may have to invest in an ice cream maker.

[Christie]

That looks sOOoOOo good!
God bless Ben and God bless Jerry and God bless Cuisinart!

[Jennifer]

That looks delicious! Yum!

[Maggie]

One sorbet recipe I tried had a whipped egg white in it...really nice texture once that freezes.

I tried making the pink grapefruit sorbet, the recipe for which comes in the booklet with the Cuisinart ice cream maker. It was my first attempt at making something frozen and I was APPALLED at how sweet the thing turned out. You couldn't taste the grapefruit at all. Now that I'm aware of what the liquid-sugar ratio should be for the flavour I want, it's easier to make nice sorbets. My favourite (though not for kids) has been one with mixed berries and merlot.

[Eva]

That does it! I'm buying and ice cream maker!

Thanks for sharing! :)

[Deb]

My mouth is watering! I love lemon sorbet. If it ever warms up here I'll make some:)
I was over at Abundant Yarns yesterday and saw the patterns. They look great! There are a couple I hadn't seen yet. Pat will hopefully be open soon. She is dangerously only 9 blocks away. I've already spent hundreds and she isn't even open yet! yikes...

[Vicki]

I've so always wanted an ice cream maker. It looks so cold and tasty! Yum :0

[Laurie]

I know I have an ice cream maker, if only I could find it!

Sorbet looks wonderful and I'll be over in a few hours!

[Christine]

Oh. My. Goodness. I really, really want Lemon Sorbet now! Guess it is time to pop the ice cream freezer bowls in the freezer and make some! (Feel free to share any recipes you might find for yummy sorbet!)