Clementine sorbet
To capture the delicate flavour of clementines, we need to use not only the juice, but also a little zest to add a delicious hint of bitternes.
Here's a simple method using sugar cubes.
Here's a simple method using sugar cubes.
145 K 4.1/5 (47 reviews)
2 hours 50 min.
Easy
800 ml
5 IngredientsLast modified on: December 24th 2018
For 800 ml, you will need:
- 1
1 kg 250 g clementines - 2
90 g lump sugar - 3
15 g jam sugar - 4
10 g vanilla sugar - 5
½ lemon - Total weight: 1,430 grams
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Resting: 2 hours
Cooking: 4 min.
All in all: 2 hours 50 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Thoroughly scrub and dry 1 kg 250 g clementines (use organic ones if possible).
Scrape the edges of 90 g lump sugar over the skin of the clementines.
Scrape the edges of 90 g lump sugar over the skin of the clementines.
Stage 2
Prepare all the sugar lumps like this.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Squeeze the juice from the clementines, you should get about 750 grams or millilitres of juice.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
Put the clementine-flavoured sugar lumps in a saucepan with 15 g jam sugar, 10 g vanilla sugar and 1/3 of the clementine juice.
Stage 5 - 4 min.
Dissolve the sugar lumps over medium heat, while stirring. Take off the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved.
Be careful not to let the mixture boil, or the flavour will be lost. Ideally, use an electronic thermometer, if you have one, and do not let the temperature rise above 140°F (60°C).
Be careful not to let the mixture boil, or the flavour will be lost. Ideally, use an electronic thermometer, if you have one, and do not let the temperature rise above 140°F (60°C).
Stage 6 - 1 min.
Pour the mixture onto the rest of the clementine juice.
Stage 7 - 2 hours
Add the juice of ½ lemon.
Put into a sealed container (such as a bottle) and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Put into a sealed container (such as a bottle) and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Stage 8 - 25 min.
Transfer to an ice-cream maker and churn.
Stage 9
The jam sugar contains a natural gelling agent: fruit pectin.
This is not essential, but it does make a smoother sorbet which does not go as hard when you put it in the freezer.
Without jam sugar, your sorbet will tend to "clump", like in this photo. This is simply a matter of texture and does not affect the flavour at all.
This is not essential, but it does make a smoother sorbet which does not go as hard when you put it in the freezer.
Without jam sugar, your sorbet will tend to "clump", like in this photo. This is simply a matter of texture and does not affect the flavour at all.
Stage 10
As with any sorbet, you need to take great care over the quality of fruit you use; use the best you can get. The very best will give you an excellent sorbet.
In France, the best clementines, in my opinion, are the ones from Corsica. They are easy to recognise in their boxes with their leaves and bottoms that are still green. Their slightly sharp flavour is utterly delicious.
Beware of poor imitations, those "clementines with leaves", which look similar, but there the resemblance ends, as the taste is nowhere near as good.
In France, the best clementines, in my opinion, are the ones from Corsica. They are easy to recognise in their boxes with their leaves and bottoms that are still green. Their slightly sharp flavour is utterly delicious.
Beware of poor imitations, those "clementines with leaves", which look similar, but there the resemblance ends, as the taste is nowhere near as good.
Remarks
You can use this method with other citrus fruit (mandarins, oranges, grapefruit, etc.).
Keeping: A few weeks in the freezer.
Source: Based on a recipe by Serge Zagori and dedicated to Jérémy and Nicolas, 2 huge fans.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 10 RDI=4 % | 270 RDI=30 % | 0 | 970 RDI=50 % | 4,070 RDI: 50 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 20 RDI=2 % | 0 | 70 RDI=3 % | 290 RDI: 3 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 800 ml : 10.60 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Clementines
Like these other recipes: Clementine Creamy, Corsican tarts, Clementine cake, Clementine Chantilly, Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, ... See them all 8
Lump sugar
Like these other recipes: Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, ... See them all 1
Jam sugar
Like these other recipes: Fillings for macaroons, Macarons (the original French macaroons) , Quince paste, ... See them all 3
Vanilla sugar
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Individual charlottes with morello cherries, Apricot fool, Strawberry Charlotte, Nantes Tourton, Jam doughnuts, ... See them all 83
Other recipes you may also like
Chocolate tart
As you can see, there's very little added sugar in this recipe, so it's a very chocolatey and bitter-sweet tart.November 16th 2013297 K 15 2 hours 30 min.
Macarons (the original French macaroons)
This recipe really is "of the moment": the success of these small, highly-coloured cakes, in an infinite variety of flavours, is impressive. It's a recipe which needs some care, in order to produce a result worthy of a professional pastrychef. No problem, I will guide you through the recipe,...October 3rd 20191.60 M 714.6 2 hours 40 min.
Real custard sauce (crème anglaise)
Real custard or vanilla sauce consists of egg yolks beaten with sugar and cooked slowly in vanilla milk. It is the base or the accompaniment for many desserts.January 17th 2018425 K 24.3 45 min.
How to succeed in making sabayon (syllabub)
A sabayon is a delicious and delicate preparation based on egg yolks and sugar, with a liquid added (wine, alcohol, fruit juice, etc), which is then whipped in a bain-marie until it is both light and smooth. Usually sabayon is sweet (syllabub), but you can make it savoury, in which case there is...November 12th 2017941 K 54 20 min.
Blackcurrant liqueur
The fruit liqueurs (or "creams" in French) are a mix of neutral alcohol in which fruits are macerated, and sugar syrup. They are the basis of the very famous "Kir", mixture of dry white wine and blackcurrant liqueur. This recipe is for blackcurrant, but it can be made with other soft fruits like...August 3rd 2013862 K 44.7 55 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-20)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 2 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.