Dessert: France – Sorbet Citron-Basilic (Lemon-Basil Sorbet)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 5 min

Additional 4 hrs 30 min

Total 4 hrs 55 min

Ingredients

- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves (about 1 oz / 30 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)
- 1 tbsp (6 g) finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light corn syrup or glucose syrup
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 g) fine salt
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Add the basil leaves to the hot syrup, cover, and let steep for 20–30 minutes to infuse. Reserve a few whole basil leaves for garnish.
3. Transfer the basil and syrup to a blender and pulse briefly (3–5 seconds) to release color and aroma, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid. Discard solids.
4. Stir the lemon juice, lemon zest, corn syrup, and salt into the cooled basil syrup. Taste and adjust lemon or salt if needed. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 2 hours.
5. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft, scoopable sorbet texture (about 20–30 minutes).
6. Transfer the sorbet to a shallow, airtight container and freeze until firm, 2–4 hours, before serving.
7. (No ice cream maker option) Pour the chilled mixture into a shallow metal pan, freeze 30–45 minutes until edges begin to set, then scrape with a fork to break up ice crystals. Repeat every 30–45 minutes until smooth and firm, about 3–4 cycles.
8. Serve scoops garnished with reserved basil leaves and a light sprinkle of lemon zest.