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A metal container filled with tart lemon sorbet and a metal ice cream scoop resting inside.
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5 / 3 votes

Tart Lemon Sorbet

This tart lemon sorbet (and we do mean tart!) is made with just sugar, lemons, and water yet makes a sophisticated dessert or palate cleanser. Definitely puckery and for those who love all things lemon.
Prep Time30 minutes
Chill4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 5 servings | 2 1/2 cups
Calories: 158

Equipment

  • Ice cream maker

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 6 to 9 ounces superfine sugar* (or blitz granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground)
  • Zest and juice of 8 lemons, preferably organic (about 1/4 cup zest and 1 1/4 cups | 300 ml juice)

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, sugar, and lemon zest to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  • Increase the heat to bring the syrup to a rolling boil and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and let the syrup cool completely and become infused with lemon, 2 to 3 hours.
  • Pour the syrup through a fine sieve or strainer and into an ice cream maker. Discard the zest.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: There’s no need to chill the syrup prior to processing it in an ice cream machine.

  • Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until you have a soft set or until the blade stops, 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Spoon the tart lemon sorbet into an airtight, freezer proof container and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the container from the freezer 10 minutes before scooping and spooning it up.

Notes

How To Make This Tart Lemon Sorbet A Little Less Tart

We quite like the extreme tartness of this lemon sorbet. But we’re not going to lie to you. It’s lip-puckeringly, eye-twitchingly tart. If you prefer a little less tartness and a little more sweetness, amp up the amount of superfine sugar, using up to 9 ounces when making the syrup.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 5mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g