Lemon Elderflower Sorbet

When the weather gets too hot to bear, I instinctively reach out for a tub of ice cream... which isn't a very good choice for my increasing waistline. While home made ice cream might be a healthier choice minus the added chemicals from commercial ice cream, generally they still contain a substantial amount of fat. Good as an occasional treat but not an everyday affair.

Sorbet, on the other hand, contains no dairy products and is lactose-intolerant friendly. While sorbet and sherbet (sometimes spelled as sherbert) is similar, the two are not to be confused. Many sherbet recipes include dairy products like milk or cream and can contain up to 3% of milk fats, anything above 3% is usually labelled as ice cream. There are, however, a handful of sherbet recipes that call for egg whites in place of milk fat to provide its characteristic icy creaminess. 

Technically speaking, sorbet is ice, frozen from fruity syrup, which explains the term Italian Ice or more commonly known as Granita. There have been debates about the coarseness of the ice which sets the two apart, but as far as I'm concerned, they are similar enough to be referred as the same.

Requiring only a few ingredients, sorbet is a breeze to prepare at home and you can easily come up with your own flavour! Here, I've added some elderflower to provide an additional boost to the floral note of lemons. 

Lemon Elderflower Sorbet

 250g     Water

 250g     Sugar

Juice and Zest of 6 Lemons

 1 tsp     Elderflower

Optional

 100g     Limoncello or other preferred liqueur

Alcohol provides a lower freezing point which gives the ice a softer texture.

1. Bring water to a boil and dissolve sugar. Continue boiling until mixture is slightly thickened, then heat off. Stir in the elderflower then set aside to cool completely. Strain the syrup when cooled.

2. Strain the lemon juice to remove any pulps and add in the lemon zest. Chill mixture in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3. Add the elderflower syrup to the lemon juice, a little at a time and adjust to desired taste keeping in mind that freezing will tone down the flavour and sweetness. You may not need all of the syrup. Add Limoncello or other liqueur if using, or dilute with some cold water to remain kids-friendly.

4. Pour mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Or like me, if you have yet invested in one, pour into a wide surface area metal or plastic container, and place it in the freezer. 

5. Check every 30-45 minutes (depending on how cold your freezer is) and scrap the frozen edges with a fork, whisk or electric beater. If mixture is too hard, you may blend in a food processor and return it to the freezer. Repeat cycle for at least 3 more times until it becomes an icy slush then freeze for an hour.

6. Bring sorbet to fridge 10 minutes before serving, makes it easier to scoop. Simply serve as it is or drizzle with leftover elderflower syrup. Me? I douse with more limoncello. *hick*

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