This refreshing and light matcha lemon sorbet makes for the perfect summer treat. Made with just five simple ingredients, it is gluten-free and vegan. The best part of this recipe is that you don’t even need an ice cream maker to enjoy it. A blender and some ice cube trays work perfectly well!
This matcha lemon sorbet is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, perfectly balanced with the rich, umami taste of matcha. It makes for the perfect treat on a hot summer day.
One of the best parts of summer is savoring a cup of ice cream or sorbet on a hot day. We’re particular fans of sorbet as it’s a bit lighter and more refreshing dessert option. This sorbet is almost like enjoying a frozen matcha lemonade slushy– everything you could want! Without being overly sweet, the combination of lemon and matcha may be your new favorite.
So, what exactly is sorbet? Sorbet is a frozen dessert made with sugar, fruit juice, and water. Other ingredients can be included, such as alcohol or fruit zest (both of which you can add to this recipe if you’d like!). It’s different from ice cream and sherbet as it does not contain dairy.
How to make:
This matcha lemon sorbet is actually incredibly easy to make and doesn’t even require an ice cream maker, although using one makes this recipe even easier.
First, you’ll make a simple syrup with water and sugar. In a small sauce pan combine both sugar and water and let simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. This only takes a few minutes. Let cool before refrigerating. If you want to speed up the process you can place mixture in the freezer. This may take about 3 hours and can be done the night before if desired.
Next, zest the lemons, slice them in half, and squeeze them with a lemon squeezer to get about 1 cup of juice. Since 1 cup of lemon juice is quite a bit, we recommend buying about 8-10 lemons. Using real lemons is absolutely worth it, but you can also find bottled lemon juice.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk thoroughly. Using sifted matcha powder ensures you don’t get matcha clumps in your sorbet.
If you have an ice cream maker, you can now churn it using the manufacturer's directions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you’ll want to freeze the sorbet base. Using ice cube trays makes it a bit easier and prevents getting one giant lump of ice. After the ice cubes have frozen, let them sit out at room temperature until thawed just slightly. This may take about 10-20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your home. When ready, add ice cubes to a high-speed blender.
Ingredients:
1 cup lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup water
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp matcha powder
Directions:
1. In a small sauce pan, add water and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Then refrigerate until cold.
2. In a large bowl, add lemon juice, lemon zest, sifted matcha powder and chilled sugar water.
3. If you have an ice cream maker, add sorbet mixture to your machine and follow manufacturer’s directions.
4. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour mixture into two ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Let lemon matcha ice cubes thaw just slightly until they can easily be processed by a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
