The lemon sorbet without egg whites is a refreshing and thirst-quenching dessert, perfect to enjoy all year round. Like other homemade ice creams – the strawberry sorbet, mango or green apple – lemon sorbet is particularly appreciated in summer for refreshing oneself at any time of the day, but its recipe will be useful in many different occasions at other times of the year as well. It is an ideal dessert to serve at the end of a meal, especially after a rich and sumptuous dinner, such as the Christmas Eve dinner. Its sweet and slightly tangy taste has the ability to “clean the mouth” and helps with digestion.
Lemon sorbet can be prepared in two ways: with or without egg whites. I prefer the version without egg whites, which is more similar to ice cream, while lemon sorbet with egg whites has a more liquid consistency and is often served to drink with a straw. You can prepare lemon sorbet without egg whites either using a home ice cream maker or without it. I will show you both methods: the ice cream maker is more practical and quicker, but you can also do it manually without any problems, still getting a fresh and creamy dessert to keep in the freezer at all times.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 164.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 43.80 (g) of which sugars 43.78 (g)
- Proteins 0.08 (g)
- Fat 0.00 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.02 (g)
- Sodium 5.16 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 180 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 6 cups of lemon sorbet
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar (the quantity can vary to taste)
- 1 lemon zest
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Citrus Juicer
- 1 citrus peeler
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
How to make creamy lemon sorbet without egg whites
To prepare the lemon sorbet, the preliminary operations are the same whether you use the ice cream maker or prepare it by hand: carefully wash the lemons – choose those with edible peel, even better if from Amalfi or Sorrento – and, with a peeler, obtain the zest of one of the lemons, being careful not to reach the white part (1) which would give a bitter taste to the sorbet.
Place a saucepan with the water, lemon peels, and sugar on the heat (2). Regarding the sugar, you can decrease or increase the amount according to your taste. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3-4 minutes (3). Turn off the heat and let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice (4) until you get 1 cup. The number of lemons needed to get all this juice varies significantly depending on the type of lemon used, I needed 8 medium-small ones.
When the water and sugar syrup has cooled, remove the peels (you can keep aside 2 or 3 to decorate the sorbet) and add the lemon juice (5). Allow the mixture to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, if possible even longer (for example, you can prepare it the night before). When the mixture is cold, pour it into the ice cream maker (6).
Set a program of about 20 minutes (7) and start it. The lemon sorbet will be ready when it sticks to the paddles (8). The preparation times may vary based on the type of ice cream maker and also the temperature of the mixture.
To prepare lemon sorbet without an ice cream maker, follow the same procedure up to step 5, which is the preparation of the mixture. Pour the mixture into a container that is shallow and wide, preferably steel, and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If the mixture is cold, place it immediately in the freezer; otherwise, let it cool to avoid damaging the freezer.
After half an hour, take the container out of the freezer and thoroughly stir the mixture with a spoon. The lemon sorbet will still be very liquid, but this is normal. Place the container back in the freezer and repeat the stirring operation another 4-5 times, at half-hour intervals. Gradually, the sorbet will begin to freeze, and you will need to break up the ice crystals that form using a spoon or fork. In the end, you should obtain a soft and creamy mixture. The procedure is similar to that of the melon sorbet; if you want a step-by-step guide with photos, you can refer to that recipe.
You can enjoy your lemon sorbet immediately or, if it is too soft, let it rest in the freezer for another hour. Garnish it with the lemon peels used for the syrup or with some mint leaves.
How to store lemon sorbet
Lemon sorbet keeps in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. Given the temperature of -0.4°F, it will tend to harden completely. To serve it best, just leave it at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before enjoying it.
Tips and Variations
Looking for a special way to serve lemon sorbet? Drown it in a liqueur of your choice, such as limoncello, vodka, or tequila!
For the preparation with the ice cream maker, it is essential that the mixture is cold before inserting it into the machine, especially if you use an ice cream maker with a bowl that needs to be kept in the freezer for 12 hours: if you pour a mixture that is too warm, it will melt the ice contained in the bowl, and the sorbet will never form.
In the preparation of lemon sorbet without an ice cream maker, if by mistake your sorbet should freeze completely during one of the stirring phases, don’t worry! Let it sit at room temperature for the time necessary to detach it in block from the container. Then cut it into pieces and blend it in a mixer. Put it back in the container and continue with the stirring operations.
