Makes about 1 1/4 quarts (about 8 servings)
Corn syrup helps prevent the sugar in this recipe from forming crystals that could give the sherbet a grainy texture. This is especially helpful in a recipe like this one, with virtually none of the butterfat that keeps ice creams smooth and soft. The lemon juice in this recipe serves the same function as salt in other recipes to balance and enhance flavors of other ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Prepare an ice bath. Combine the buttermilk, corn syrup, and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Immediately pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath. Stir the mixture every few minutes until it is quite cool.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least 4 hours or up to overnight before freezing in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the sherbet in containers and let ripen in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
