Does anyone besides me buy a quart of buttermilk and rarely use it all? I was looking for something to pair with Lavender-Lemon Shortbread and realized that this was the perfect recipe as I had two cups of buttermilk leftover from making Air Fryer Chicken Wings (the buttermilk is used to marinate the wings).
Last year I discovered David Lebovitz’s truly amazing recipe for Chocolate Sorbet on the internet. I (along with Ed and many others) loved it so much, I bought the book that contained the recipe (The Perfect Scoop, Revised and Updated: 200 Recipes for Ice Creams, Sorbets, Gelatos, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments). I highly recommend this book as it contains so many simple and good recipes including this one.
Curious as to how sherbet differs from other frozen confections? It’s typically made with fruit and low-fat dairy (such as milk or buttermilk). Masterclass explains it well in this post – Ice Cream vs. Gelato vs. Sherbet vs. Sorbet: What’s the Difference? While we are on the topic of sherbet, why do we pronounce it as if there’s another ‘r’ (sherbert)? Grammarly came through some answers along with a bit of history about sherbet – Sherbet or Sherbert—What Is Right?
Back to the recipe – add to the buttermilk water, sugar and both lemon zest and juice to create a lovely sherbet. Yes, that’s three ingredients plus water. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Buttermilk is typically made with low-fat milk which makes this a healthier alternative to ice cream. The entire batch of sherbet is about 750 calories or 125 calories per serving.
The finished product is a bit tart (lemon) and tangy (buttermilk) with just the right amount of sweetness. It pairs perfectly with Lavender-Lemon Shortbread.
Please note that you do need an ice cream maker to prepare this. If you have the kind that you have to freeze the container in advance, please do so at least 24 hours prior to preparing this sherbet.
| Lemon-Buttermilk Sherbet | Print |
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ 2 lemons)
- If your ice cream maker requires freezing the container, please make sure to do this at least 24 hours prior to making this recipe.
- In a medium, nonreactive saucepan (see Notes) set over medium height, mix the water and sugar.
- Grate the zest of one lemon directly into the saucepan (this ensures that the oil from the lemon makes it into the pan).
- Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the syrup reaches room temperature
- Transfer to a medium bowl, cover,l and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, about an hour (or as long as overnight).
- Whisk the buttermilk into the syrup and then whisk in the lemon juice.
- Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions or follow the instructions below.
- Pour the sherbet mixture into the frozen canister of your ice cream maker and spin until thick and creamy.
- The sherbet is finished at the exact moment when the machine isn’t freezing the ice cream anymore – the sherbet will begin to pull away from the side (about 18 to 22 minutes).
- Pack sherbet into a freezer-safe storage container, press a sheet of parchment paper directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid.
- Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours and up to a few weeks.
* Before squeezing lemons, heat it in a microwave for about 20 seconds and then rub it back and forth on the counter top. This easy two-step process results in more juice per piece of fruit.
Source: Adapted from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop, Revised and Updated: 200 Recipes for Ice Creams, Sorbets, Gelatos, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments (2018)
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