Lemon sorbet

1 Turn the freezer to its coldest setting as the sorbet will need to be removed from the freezer several times to be beaten. A very cold freezer will aid the freezing process.

2 In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and zest and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to ensure all sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup for 2 minutes then cool.

3 When the syrup is completely cold, mix in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the flavour as needed. The mixture should be really lemony and quite sweet as the flavours will dull somewhat once frozen.

4 Pour into a rigid-sided container and place in the freezer. Remove after an hour or so – the edges should be frozen by this time – and beat with a beater. Return the mixture to the freezer and repeat the freezing/beating process several times.

5 When the sorbet is half frozen, beat the egg white to soft peaks and fold into the mixture. The frequent beating combined with the concentrated sugar syrup creates the silky-smooth feel that makes sorbet such a delight. The egg white makes the texture softer, but it is not essential, so egg-allergic households can simply omit it.

6 Serve scoops of sorbet in chilled dishes or in a glass topped up with wine, as a palate refresher between courses, or in a sugar cone.