Sorbetto al Limone e Rosmarino (Lemon and Rosemary Sorbet)

Lemon and rosemary sorbet is a perfect summer treat, refreshing and beautifully light. You can serve it either as a dessert, a snack or as a palate cleanser between courses.

This recipe belongs to my new book – The Mamma Mia! Diet. Sweets should be a treat to enjoy once in a while and better homemade! In the book you will find a selection of tasty and light desserts, mainly prepared with seasonal fruit. Quality and quantity are the keys!

Sorbet is an ancient dessert, the Greeks thought it was a nectar of the Gods, the Romans loved it, and still in the 21^st century we are enjoying it! Sorbet is a frozen dessert prepared with sugar syrup flavored with any type of different fragrant fruit juices, fresh herbs (such as rosemary, basil, mint), wine (champagne) and liqueur.

Sorbet should have a soft and smooth texture, so I add natural stabilizers to the recipe such as carob seed flour and beaten egg white instead of chemicals and milk products like the mass production industry uses. Carob seed flour is a natural thickening agent, rich in fiber, minerals and protein. Egg white is rich in protein too. They improve texture decreasing the freezing point.

SORBETTO AL LIMONE E ROSMARINI (LEMON AND ROSEMARY SORBET)

Total preparation time: 50 minutes + 3 hours freezing           Cooling time: 8 hours                       Servings: 4-5

INGREDIENTS

240 ml (1 cup) water
155 g (¾ cup) sugar
3 large organic lemons, filtered lemon juice
1 sprig of rosemary, plus some for decoration
1 organic lemon, zest
5 g (1 teaspoon) carob seed flour
1 pasteurized egg white, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Cool a steel bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes.
2. In a saucepan combine the sugar (reserving 4 teaspoons) and water, bring to boil over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to simmer. Add the lemon zest and the rosemary. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Filter out the zest and the rosemary from sugar syrup. Let it cool.
3. Mix 2 teaspoons of sugar and carob seed flour in a small bowl. Add ¼ cup sugar syrup and mix well with a whisk. Beat the egg white with an eletric whisk in a separate bowl. As soon it gets fluffy, add 2 teaspoons of sugar and beat for 2 minutes.
4. Pour the sugar syrup into the chilled bowl and stir in the lemon juice and the carob seed mixture. Add the egg whites and mix well. You can expect the egg white to separate somewhat from the lemon juice. That’s normal.
5. For the final step, you can choose from two different methods: ice cream maker or freezer method. Ice cream method: Pour the mixture into ice cream maker and follow the instructions. Freezer method (the method I use!): Pour the mixture in a suitable container and store in the freezer for one hour. Remove and mix with a fork. Put in the freezer for at least three hours. Remove from the freezer, stir and put back in the freezer for another three- four hours. Place a few rosemary needles (finely chopped) in a cold blender jar and blend for just a few seconds. Add the sorbet and blend for a few seconds to give a creamy texture. Freeze again for about 20 minutes. Decorate with rosemary needles (optional). You can also let it thaw a little bit and serve in a flute with a straw. You can store in airtight container for several weeks in the freezer. – Paola