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
2 litres 400 ml
5 IngredientsLast modified on: December 24th 2018
For 2 litres 400 ml, you will need:
- 1
3 kgs 750 g clementines - 2
270 g lump sugar - 3
45 g jam sugar - 4
30 g vanilla sugar - 5
2 lemon - Total weight: 4,290 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 3 kgs 750 g clementines (use organic ones if possible).
Scrape the edges of 270 g lump sugar over the skin of the clementines.
Scrape the edges of 270 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 45 g jam sugar, 30 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 2 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 | 30 RDI=10 % | 820 RDI=80 % | 0 | 2,920 RDI=150 % | 12,220 RDI: 150 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 20 RDI=2 % | 0 | 70 RDI=3 % | 290 RDI: 3 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 2 litres 400 ml : 31.70 €
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 Chantilly, Clementine cake, European glass, Corsican tarts, 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: Quince paste, Fillings for macaroons, Macarons (the original French macaroons) , ... See them all 3
Vanilla sugar
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Half-cooked chocolate cake with raspberry coulis, Gâteau Basque , Tarte Normande, Dijonnaise pear cake, Liège waffles, ... See them all 83
Other recipes you may also like
Vanilla sugar
Almost essential in patisserie, you can find it in expensive little sachets of about 10g. It's necessary to distinguish between the vanilla sugar which really contains vanilla, and vanillin sugar, purely chemical which has never seen a vanilla pod. Here is how to quickly make a whole jar full of...August 12th 2018425 K 15 30 min.
Clarified butter
This is a way of melting butter to eliminate all the impurities. The clarified butter can then be heated without spoiling, and is more digestible. It is ideal for cooking at high temperatures where small black specks would spoil the appearance, or for emulsified sauces like béarnaise or mousseline.June 21th 2017469 K4.2 2 hours 15 min.
Cocotte eggs with Comté
A light delicious and quickly prepared dish, an easy and elegant answer to the frequent question "what are we going to eat this evening?". Here is version with Comté (a famous cheese from eastern France, like gruyère, but much better), but it can be made prepared many different ways.February 21th 2011356 K4.3 1 hour
Nicholas's fish
This is a very easy recipe, everything hinges on the brief cooking of the leeks, then the fish.February 21th 2011253 K4.8 60 min.
How to peel a pineapple
For most recipes it is necessary to completely peel the pineapple, and to keep only the flesh which is then often cut into small pieces. Here is a method.February 21th 2011211 K3.7 20 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-13)
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.