Easy Lemon Sorbet Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes sorbet creamy? ›

Without fat from dairy or eggs, it's the suspension of sugar within the fruit purée that allows the sorbet to churn into something with a creamy mouthfeel. You need 20-30% sugar in your sorbet, which will come from your fruit plus some added sugar.

Too little sugar and the sorbet becomes icy, too much and it can be slushy — hit the sugar level just right and the sorbet will taste creamy and melt evenly across your tongue. There's a very simple way to tell if your sugar levels are right: Float a large egg in the sorbet base.

The major difference between the two is that sherbet is made with dairy and sorbet isn't. Sherbet has more of a creamy texture that you'd expect from ice cream thanks to ingredients like milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk in the mix. Sorbet, on the other hand, is simply sugar and fruit.

The Master Ratio

Okay, let's back up a bit. If you don't know the exact sugar content of your fruit, the best thing you can do is play it safe. A sugar concentration between 20% to 30% will generally produce a scoopable, creamy sorbet. * Add less and your sorbet is too icy to scoop; add more and it may never freeze.

At its heart, sorbet is simply a frozen fruit syrup, but you can ramp it up a level and include whipped egg white or even mascarpone for a creamier result.

Sherbet is made with dairy, so it contains a little bit of fat. One ½ cup serving of sherbet averages around 130 calories and 1 to 3 grams of fat. Sorbet is made with just fruit and sugar and is therefore fat-free. There are between 120 to 150 calories per ½ cup of sorbet.

Too little sugar and you end up with loads of crunchy ice crystals. Some experts swear by a ratio of 4 cups puréed fruit to 1 cup sugar. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, place the sorbet mixture in a sealed container in the very coldest part of your freezer (usually at the bottom and back).

The quality of the water is important as well — if your water has a bad aftertaste, so will your sorbet — so we recommend using bottled. The optional egg white helps to stabilize, emulsify, and preserve the texture of the sorbet if you are going to keep it in your freezer for a few days.

Tapioca starch (or corn starch): tapioca starch fis our go-to starch to thicken a sorbet mixture, for the velvety texture it creates. If you do not have tapioca starch, you can use corn starch instead, which is not the same, but it still works.

How do you thicken homemade sorbet? ›

In this recipe, we use tapioca starch to thicken the sorbet mixture, which gives a velvety texture to the sorbet, but you can use corn starch if this is what you have. Thickening the sorbet mixture with a starch gives it body, which makes the sorbet expand during churning and become fluffy.

Homemade sorbet generally lasts for about 2 to 3 months when properly stored in the freezer. Ice crystals may develop after 1 month, so don't wait too long to enjoy it.

With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream. This makes it a great choice for those watching their calorie intake or trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

"Sorbet is made with fruit but no dairy (eggs or milk/cream) so it's generally vegan-friendly and suits those with egg or dairy allergies, too," she says.

Sorbet has less calories than ice cream and other frozen desserts, and no fat. It's fruit content also makes it rich in vitamin C. Any downsides? That fruit content also means it contains a fair bit of sugar, and if we're comparing it with ice cream and gelato, it has less calcium, vitamin A and iron.

Ice cream machines work by churning / aerating mixtures whilst freezing them. As the mixture freezes, the churning action breaks down large ice crystals, producing that creamy smooth texture we know and love. At the same time, air is trapped in the network of crystals, which increases volume.

A machine freezes the base quickly and the churning action breaks up ice crystals resulting in a smoother texture. This can also be somewhat accomplished by stirring and mashing the sorbet three or more times while it is freezing – and then stirring and mashing again right before serving.

The optional egg white helps to stabilize, emulsify, and preserve the texture of the sorbet if you are going to keep it in your freezer for a few days.

1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur (this is for flavor, but it also prevents the sorbet from freezing solid. Alcohol won't freeze, so it is great insurance that you will have a soft sorbet.