Lemon Sorbet

Happy Summer! Emma came home from Washington on Tuesday, just in time for a simple summer solstice celebration.  I thought I would make a simple meal by throwing some steaks on the grill and serving them with some fresh-picked green beans and sauteed mushrooms.  And for dessert, this home made lemon sorbet with fresh fruit and meringue cookies!

I absolutely LOVE this lemon sorbet.  It is very tart and smooth and ice cold, perfect for a day like today.  It is extremely easy to make and is one of those 5-ingredient wonders that tastes so much more than the sum of its parts.  I like to serve it with whatever fresh fruit looks good.  Today we are having raspberries, but blueberries, strawberries or watermelon are all excellent accompaniments.  I even like this sorbet with a little chocolate ganache drizzled over the top (Tastes like my favorite lemon truffle from See's candies!).


Lemon Sorbet
makes 1 quart

2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice (8 large lemons)
grated zest from 3 of the lemons
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream

Remove the zest from 3 of the lemons and place in the bowl of a food processor with the sugar and process until zest has been incorporated into the sugar.  Add the lemon juice, water and cream and process briefly until sugar is dissolved.  Transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions.  Place processed sorbet in a container in the freezer for 2-3 hours to ripen ( If the sorbet is still kind of runny, don't worry, it will set up in the freezer).  Serve with fresh fruit and meringue cookies.