Lemon-Thyme Semi-Sorbet
This dessert comes out as somewhat of a cross between a granita and a smoother sorbet. While the lemony sugar mixture infused with thyme sets up in the freezer, the dessert is scraped with a fork every thirty minutes, similar to how you would make a granita at home. The mixture is then blended quickly in a blender, and mixed with a whisked egg white before it being placed back into the freezer.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1.5 cups white granulated sugar
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger root, (roughly chopped)
- ΒΌ tsp kosher salt
- 15 sprigs thyme, (tied together tightly with kitchen string)
- Zest from 4 lemons
- 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Combine the water, sugar, ginger root, kosher salt, and thyme sprigs in a pot on the stove.
- Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the thyme and ginger root from the mixture, and allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- *Strain mixture if desired.
- Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until fully combined.
- Place the contents in a casserole dish and place the casserole dish in the freezer.
- Freeze for 4 hours, scraping the mixture with a fork every thirty minutes to form a granita-type ice slushy consistency.
- When the mixture has been in the freezer for four hours, get out an egg white and a medium-sized bowl and a blender.
- Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and set aside.
- Place the frozen ice mixture into the blender and blend on low speed until the consistency is smoother.
- Fold the egg whites together with the blended lemon-type sorbet mixture.
- Place the sorbet in a freezer-safe container with a lid in the freezer until ready to serve.
Notes
Taste the granita mixture before you blend it and mix it with the egg white--This mixture is wonderful when served by itself in the summer months. You can do this with all sorts of fruit juices.