My early spring flowers have bloomed and the late spring flowers are coming to an end while my summer flowers are just starting to take off! We opened my Oma's pool and took our first dip in it to celebrate the sale of my mom's house and old car--my Oma would be proud that we took some time out of our chaotic schedule to celebrate something. It's about time we did. It has been four months since my Oma's passing and there hasn't been a whole lot to celebrate lately, it seems.
Cook time: 2 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes to 3 hours
Yield: approximately 2 pints
Ingredients
But soon my mom and I will be down to one house instead of two and are now down two cars instead of three. And in about 6 months, we will be moving into my mom's new house. Yes, I admit it, I'm 32-years-old and I still live with my mother. I have lived on my own before, when I had full-time jobs. But during my years of working for a non-profit and later taking care of my Oma it was necessary to live with family. I wouldn't change it for anything. When I lived on my own, I seriously hated cooking for one!
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| Lemons, sugar and water make up this lemon sorbet but if you replace 1/2 cup of water with Limoncello, you will get a slightly sweeter version of this luscious dessert. (Looks like my Limoncello bottle could use a refill!) |
But I digress!
First, I will say that I inherited a serious taste for sour things. My Oma used to eat lemons like oranges when growing up in Austria. I know all that acidity is really bad for your teeth but occasionally I will eat a lemon slice or two...or three...or four...Okay, I'm addicted to lemons! I put lemon juice in my tea, I love it on fish, I've drank lemon juice straight up...oh my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I remember those [supposedly] sour candies as a kid, Mega Warheads. My friends were always amazed that I never made any faces while eating them but even those weren't sour enough for me. I never make faces while eating lemons either. Guess I'm a first class sour puss!
And lately, especially with summer in the air, my mom and I have been on a lemon sorbet kick. We have bought countless pints from Safeway, along with pints of raspberry sorbet--sometimes I like to have a scoop of each. It's like eating frozen raspberry lemonade! But I have been wanting to make my homemade lemon sorbet for some time and today, I finally had some time to make it!
This is by far, the most delicious lemon sorbet ever. It is waaaaaaaaay better than any of the store-bought versions I've eaten. And if you love sour lemon sorbet, this is the one for you. Though I do have a good version for those that might like it a little less sour.
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| Just because it makes it more fun, serve up your lemon sorbet in a champagne flute instead of a bowl! |
The reason I love this lemon sorbet so much is that it uses a whole 2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Though I've been known to use bottled lemon juice when I'm too lazy to squeeze the lemons myself and it still tastes just as wonderful! But if this version is too sour for your tastes, try replacing 1/2 cup of the water with Limoncello. I suggest playing around with the measurements until you find the right sweet-sour balance for your taste.
The other thing I've also added to this recipe is a few drops of lemon oil. My dad's wife sells essential oils and I like to use some of them in cooking and baking (like the wild orange in my chocolate truffles).
This lemon sorbet is perfect for enjoying on your back porch after a hot summer day or serving it up as dessert at any summer soiree. Or you could try it in a Sgroppino, an Italian cocktail my aunt from Texas introduced me to. Funnily enough, she had it while on a business trip in Turkey! It's a mix of vodka, Prosecco, lemon sorbet and sometimes a little splash of Limoncello. You can find a recipe for a crowd of 12 at PeterCallahan.com.
So grab some lemons, sugar and water and get ready to get your sour puss on!
Luscious Lemon Sorbet
Recipe by This Bittersweet Life
Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 2 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes to 3 hours
Yield: approximately 2 pints
Ingredients
- 1 lemon Zest, of
- 2 cups Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cup Water
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1/2 cup Limoncello (optional)
- In a saucepan, combine Limoncello (if using), water and sugar and cook just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Pour into a bowl then add the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Next you can either cool the mixture in an ice bath (ice, salt and water) or place in the fridge until cool.
- Once the mixture has cooled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn until slushy. Pour into a container and place in freezer to finish firming up.
- If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour into a 9x13 pan and place in freezer until firm (2-3 hours). Using a fork, stir the sorbet every half hour.
