Sorbetto di Limoni
The recipe for this lemon sorbet is from Lonely Planet’s Italy From The Source by Susan Wright. “Eaten as a digestif or palate cleanser, and enjoyed as a sweet pick-me-up, sorbet is very simple to make which is why the recipe has existed much longer than gelato. But the only real difference is that milk is used in the latter and only water for sorbet” she explains.
The lemons shown in the photograph are the famous “golden trumpets” (Sfusato Amalfitano) from the Amalfi coast, Italy.
Introduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
“Frozen ice and snow have been stored for summer consumption for thousands of years but, according to Pliny the Elder, the Romans were the first to create a dense frozen food, prepared with honey and fruit that most resembles modern sorbet”, writes Susan Wright.
Preparation 1 hr, 30 mins; freezing time 2 hrs
Ingredients
Serves 8
- lemons, 1Kg
- water, 250ml (1 cup)
- sugar, 240g
- boiling water, 1 cup
- egg whites, 2 (optional)
Peel all the lemons, being careful not to remove the white pith as it can be bitter. Set the peel aside. Juice the lemons and strain the liquid into a bowl.
Prepare a simple syrup: put the water, sugar and lemon peel in a saucepan, bring to boiling point and boil for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup and combine with the lemon juice.
Pour mixture into a bowl and place in freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove mixture from freezer and use a whisk to break any ice crystals. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes.
Repeat this whisk-and-freeze-process until the sorbet has reached desired consistency. This should take about two hours.
For a fluffier sorbet, use two egg whites, whisked to form soft peaks. When the sorbet begins to solidify, carefully fold the egg whites through with a whisk.