Lemon Sorbet

My parents have a small Meyer lemon tree in their backyard and whenever it is in season, the branches are laden down with the tangy fruit. They've offered me lemons in the past, but I've never really taken any...I didn't feel like I had much use for them. But then I found this recipe for lemon sorbet and immediately called, asking for some lemons.

Meyer lemons are difficult to find in the grocery store because their thin skin means they don't ship well. I did recently see them in my neighborhood Henry's (part of the Whole Foods family) for $3.00 a pound! Rather than pay that exorbitant price, I called up good ole mom and dad and asked for a bagful of lemons the next time they came over. My dad warned me that their lemons are small this year, but I said it was fine, just give me some lemons. He wasn't lying; they are tiny, about the size of a golf ball! This isn't Meyer lemons in general, just their particular crop. Even with about 10 lemons, I barely got a 1/2 cup of juice, so I had to halve the recipe below.



I've given you the full amounts, but if you don't have a lot of lemons, or don't want much sorbet, this halves easily. Also, this sorbet is really tart. If you prefer a sweeter lemon treat, I'd add another 1/4 cup of sugar. You need to do this in the beginning, with the water though, or the end result will be grainy. One last note, you don't have to use Meyer lemons for this recipe, but they are less tart than their regular counterparts. If you don't use Meyers, I would definitely up the sugar content.



Lemon Sorbet
Source: The Perfect Scoop
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 lemons
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 6 regular sized lemons)

Directions
In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water. Zest the two lemons directly into the mixture, being careful not to add the pith. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the water. Refrigerate until completely chilled (several hours or overnight is best). Stir in the lemon juice and freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker, following your manufacturer's directions.