Meyer Lemon Sherbet

Before Labor Day I was at Sprouts and noticed a bag of beautiful Meyer lemons, which I promptly bought.  I had a delusional moment where I imagined sipping lovely peach raspberry lemonade while sitting on the lake house porch. I guess I believed my imaginary minions were going to be the ones juicing the lemons, pureeing the peaches and straining the raspberries through a sieve.  Short story even shorter, it didn't happen, in fact the lemons never made it to the lake at all.  Suddenly it was a week later and I had done nothing with the lemons. Rather than wait and have to use them right before they ruined, I decided to try my hand at lemon sherbet. Thanks, Mom, for the Donvier!

After making the peach sherbet, there were a couple of changes I wanted to make. Years ago I made strawberry ice cream with unflavored gelatin in it.  It produced a smoother texture than the sherbet which became a little icy after a day in the freezer.  I also wanted it a little creamier, but had no more cream so I substituted some 1 percent milk for part of the water.  If I had been using regular lemons rather than Meyer lemons I would have increased the sugar to compensate for some of the acidity and sharpness, but Meyers are sweeter.  If you use regular ones increase the sugar by a couple of tablespoons.

1/2 package unflavored gelatin (I just eyeballed it)

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice (use fresh juice)

1-2 tablespoons lemon zest (make sure no pith is grated into it)

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cup milk

Place the gelatin and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a medium heat proof bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Stir like a mad man to dissolve the gelatin and incorporate the sugar.  Add the lemon juice and zest then stir in the sugar  and continue stirring until it is completely dissolved.  Add the milk and cream all at once and stir to combine.  Pour into the frozen container from either the Donvier or Cusiniart and hand crank or turn on the motor. (Or follow the instructions of whatever ice cream maker you have)  When the sherbet is nice and thick and the proper consistency, stop the churning process and let it sit for a few minutes to become firmer.  Serve and prepare yourself for something delicious.

I had a package of those little shortcakes sold in packs of 4 or 6 a the grocery store. (You know, the ones you put strawberries in and top it with whipped cream.)  Move over strawberry shortcake, there is a new sheriff in town.  I put a few large blackberries in the well of the cake and used a cookie scoop to make small sherbet balls.  I know I could have used a regular ice cream paddle, but it would not have been as pretty.  Did I even mention how delicious it tasted.  We really were unexpectedly pleased with how it turned out.  This will probably become a summertime company standard at our house.  It would be fantastic on a summer night after a bbq dinner.