I can easily say that this is the best sorbet I've ever made.

(it's also the first.)
My pickiest sibling (so picky that at fast food restaurants we have to request a "cheese bun" rather than anything else on the menu) proclaimed it to be "the best sherbet I've ever tasted!" which is a rare compliment.
(if you were wondering, there really is a difference between sherbet and sorbet. You're welcome.)
This could be a total crowd-pleaser because it's really refreshing, hardly any prep time at all, and is a fun, summery treat!

First, you zest and squeeze your lemons. (get a microplane zester, they make your life so much easier!)

Mix the zest, water, and sugar to make a simple syrup and boil until the liquid is clear.

Add in the lemon juice, more water, and a bit of salt. (I didn't add the salt, and liked it just fine)

Chill for 2 hours (I left it in the fridge overnight) to prepare it for the ice cream freezer.

Pour into the container of your ice cream freezer

and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. 

It is really lemony and tart, so if you want a less strong flavor, I would try adding more water (I'm going to try that the next time I make it) and make sure you look for sales on lemons, this recipe uses quite a lot! I thought the lemon flavor was a good reason to only eat a little, my family of 8 thought this was a perfect amount (even though everyone only got a couple small scoops) and it was really cold and sweet and perfect for a warm spring afternoon.

It's also a fun idea to reuse your lemons for little cups. Cut them in half when you juice them, and freeze on a pan in the freezer for a couple hours.

Enjoy!

Frozen Lemonade

(adapted from cookingchanneltv.com)

This dessert strikes just the right balance between drinkable and icy dessert. If you really want to honor the spirit of this treat, do not eat it with a spoon, just serve in a cup and squeeze it into your mouth until it melts enough to drink.

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr 15 min

Prep: 10 min

Inactive Prep: 2 hr

Cook: 5 min

YIELD: 1 quart

INGREDIENTS

• 9 lemons (about 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of zest)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water (divided)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Peel the skin off of the lemons with a vegetable peeler, being careful not to get any of the bitter pith, or use a zester for the same thing. Chop the peels into the size of large sesame seeds. You should have about 2 tablespoons.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup water,sugar and lemon zest to a boil until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/2 cup water, fresh lemon juice and salt; this will help bring the temperature of the liquid down. Chill completely in the refrigerator, 2 hours.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions.

Cook's Note: It is very important to the flavor that you freshly squeeze the lemon juice for this recipe; store-bought lemon juice often has an extremely metallic taste.