Skip to main content

Lime Sorbet

Whenever I pass a bin of colorful limes at the market, I can’t resist running my hands over their glossy, knobby, emerald skins. I don’t know why, but I’m always hypnotized when I see big, overflowing bins of shiny limes, and I just love to touch them. Maybe it’s because fresh limes transport us to somewhere far away, suggesting blazing hot beaches full of sexy, half-dressed locals lounging in the sun. If that doesn’t give you the impetus to make this sorbet, I don’t know what will.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (560 ml) water
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 lime, preferably unsprayed
3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 9 limes)
6 tablespoons (90 ml) Champagne or sparkling wine (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix 1 cup (250 ml) of the water with the sugar. Grate the zest of the lime directly into the saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) water, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

    Step 2

    Mix in the lime juice and the Champagne or sparkling wine, if using. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

  2. Perfect Pairing

    Step 3

    To make Lime Sorbet more festive, prepare the recipe but omit the Champagne. Serve scoops in frosty cocktail glasses with shots of tequila poured over them. Top each off with a few flecks of coarse salt.

The Perfect Scoop
Read More
A fancy-feeling dish that comes together in 20 minutes.
This rice pudding features a brûléed top and a scoop of mango sorbet for brightness and as a nod to the classic sticky rice flavor.
This isn’t competing with a brownie. It’s in a class of its own.
This rustic no-knead loaf gets subtle sweetness and perfect-PBJ potential by trading the usual water for apple juice.
Top slow-roasted sweet potatoes with tamarind concentrate, green chutney, fresh onions, tomatoes, and cilantro for a chaat-inspired appetizer.
Known as okayu, this Japanese comfort food will warm you from the inside out.
Canned purée delivers rich body and deep flavor, without the nonna-level cook time.
Fall dreams are made of this. Who are we to disagree?