Traditional Italian Lemon Sorbet

The Basic Preparation

1. Wash the lemons very carefully then dry them. With the help of a peeler, remove the lemon peel, being careful NOT to remove the white, bitter part. Set aside.
2. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze them to collect the juice. If you have a juice extractor you can use it to have a more concentrated, tasty and slag-free juice. You should get about 150 ml of lemon juice.
3. Place in a saucepan 230 ml (1 cup) of water, 180 g (⅞ cup) of granulated sugar and the lemon peels. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved completely. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
4. Filter the lemon juice with a colander then add the syrup without the lemon zest. Mix really well.
5. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend everything for about 3 minutes. In this way the mixture will incorporate more air and the sorbet will be creamier.

How to Make Lemon Sorbet WITH Ice Cream Maker

1. Now if you have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into the machine and start it. It will take about 40 minutes, depending on the model. After the necessary time, your creamy Italian Lemon Sorbet is ready!

How to Make Lemon Sorbet WITHOUT Ice Cream Maker

1. Pour the blended mixture into the previously frozen stainless steel container. Place in the freezer for about 4 hours. Every 30 minutes you have to break the frozen surface. So remove the sorbet from the freezer and mix using a hand whisk or a low speed electric whisk. This step is necessary in order not to create ice crystals in the sorbet and to have a creamy result. Obviously this is a bit more laborious process, but it's worth it. You will surely have an exquisite authentic Lemon Sorbet!