The Best Vanilla Lemon Sorbet Food

HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN LEMON SORBET

Steps:

• Let's start preparing the lemons. Wash them very carefully then dry them. With the help of a peeler, remove the lemon peel, being careful NOT to remove the white, bitter part.
• Cut the lemons in half and squeeze them to collect the juice. If you have a juice extractor you can use it to have a more concentrated, tasty and slag-free juice.
• Place water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved completely. Turn off the fire and let it cool.
• If necessary filter the lemon juice with a colander then add the syrup without the lemon zest. Mix really well.
• Pour the mixture into a blender and blend everything for about 3 minutes. In this way the mixture will incorporate more air and the sorbet will be creamier.
• If you have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into the machine and start it. It will take about 40 minutes, depending on the model. After the necessary time, your creamy Italian Lemon Sorbet is ready!
• Pour the blended mixture into the previously frozen stainless steel container. Place in the freezer for about 4 hours. Every 30 minutes you have to break the frozen surface. So remove the sorbet from the freezer and mix using a hand whisk or a low speed electric whisk.

LEMON SORBET IN LEMON CUPS

Steps:

• Combine the water and 2 cups of the sugar in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the sugar is just dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Set a strainer over a 2-cup liquid measure.
• Cut off the top quarter of 8 lemons, then cut a very thin slice from the bottom to make a flat base. Squeeze the juice from the lemon tops into the liquid measure; discard the tops and bottoms.
• Stand up a cut lemon and, using a paring knife, cut around the inner edge of the peel, so you cut the flesh away from the peel. Switch to a spoon and use the incision as a guide to scoop out all the flesh from the inside of the lemon, leaving behind a lemon "cup." Place the flesh in the strainer over the liquid measure and squeeze out all the juice. Repeat with the other 7 lemons. Freeze the lemon cups until ready to serve.
• Zest and juice the remaining 4 lemons; reserve 1 tablespoon zest for the topping. You'll need 2 cups of fresh lemon juice in all; if you have any excess, store it in the fridge or freezer for future use.
• Mix together the cooled simple syrup and the 2 cups lemon juice. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions. Remove the sorbet to an airtight container and hold in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.
• On a small plate, mix together the reserved lemon zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Spread the mixture in an even layer and set aside for at least 30 minutes to dry out slightly.
• When ready to serve, scoop the sorbet into the frozen lemon cups and top with sugared lemon zest. Serve immediately.

THE BEST VANILLA-LEMON SORBET

Steps:

• Open vanilla bean (use a sharp knife to halve it).
• Place first 1/2 cup water in pot along with the vanilla bean.
• Bring to the boil, then add sugar.
• Stir sugar until dissolved.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove vanilla bean and using knife scrape seeds into sugar syrup.
• Remove sugar syrup from heat and add cold water.
• Pour into large bowl and place in freezer for 5 minutes.
• Add juice to bowl and put back in freezer.
• Every 30 minutes, remove bowl and, using a fork, stir - break up any ice that is forming. You are trying to get a "slushy" consistency.
• Once thickened, take 3 egg whites, a beat in a bowl until peaks can be made.
• Fold beaten egg whites through slushy mixture.
• Return to freezer.
• Every 20 minutes, run fork through mixture to break up ice.
• When the mixture is completely frozen it is ready to eat. In my freezer, this is around 3 hours.
• I serve this in a chilled bowl either by itself, or with a small amount of reduced raspberries (1/2 cup raspberries, 1 tbs sugar, 1/4 cup water boiled for 10 minutes, then refrigerated) drizzled over the top.
• You can also add a small amount of dry white white if you like. I've made this with some sparkling white and it was very nice. Other variations include orange sorbet with cointreau, kiwi fruit and Midori melon liquour. The combinations are endless!
• Update: I made this again and instead of folding by hand, I used a hand held electric mixer on the 'fold' setting, and used this to break the ice up, and to fold the egg whites through. Doing this a few times, I found that the appearance looked a lot closer to commercial sorbet, and it made it a lot smoother to eat. Definately recommend trying the electric mixer for better results!