Oh, Sweet Addiction...

So, based on most 12-step program models I've ever heard of, the first step is admitting you have a problem. So noted.........and I don't care (which is not step 2 of any 12-step program I could find, so maybe I'll have to start my own).

"Why this confession?" you might ask with interest? "To what substance are you slavishly devoted?" you might wonder with concern. I'll be happy to tell you. Because I'm not stopping. No, if anything, I'm increasing my use.

That's right -- my new obsession is........(wait for it)........homemade ice cream. It could very well be the most addictive drug known to mankind, or at the very least, the most delicious.

In all seriousness now, I must start at the beginning:

I received an ice cream machine for Christmas (I actually returned an immersion blender to get the ice cream machine...no doubt one of the best decisions of my life). Until now, I haven't had a chance to use it. But I had been keeping busy scouring the internet for interesting ice cream recipes. I even went so far as to buy a book on the subject (Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts by Peggy Fallon). But on Monday, I came home and actually made a frozen dessert.

To be on the safe side, I started small and attempted one of Cuisinart's recipes: fresh lemon sorbet. Although it was one of the simpler recipes in the Cuisinart booklet, it seemed pretty complicated, but since it was my first experience with the machine, I figured that I would just learn as I go and that things would get easier with time. Which has proven to be true. Since Monday (and currently it's THURSDAY), I have made another ice cream and prepared the ingredients for a third (if only I had several of those freezer bowls I could make ice cream at a nearly constant rate!). But for today's post, I will limit myself to the fresh lemon sorbet, which is delicious and extrememly tart (it makes my lips smack when I eat a scoop -- that's how tart it is). I do, however, have one improvement that I will make in future batches: no more lemon zest! The instructions called for finely chopped lemon zest. Now, as far as cooking techniques go, I'm kind of a fool for anything that requires me to zest. I don't know why I think it's so fun, but I do. Now, normally I zest with a microplane (which I would argue is the way God intended us to zest our citrus). But this time the recipe called for the zest to be removed in strips and then chopped. Well, I figured I should be open to trying new zesting techniques, so I dutifully retrieved my vegetable peeler and carefully removed only the yellow part of the lemon skin (the white pith beneath is very bitter). That was actually great: quick, easily done, and already the kitchen smelled like lemon (one of my favorite kitchen smells -- I also love the Kitchen Lemon antibacterial soap from Bath and Body Works -- similar smell). Anyway, once I had the zest of all the lemons, I stood pondering how to finely chop it. I supposed that I could hand chop it vigorously until an appropriately fine zest was achieved. But it was a Monday night, I had tests to grade, and, let's face it, I'm not the world's most patient person...so I whipped out my handy dandy food processor, roughly chopped the lemon zest, threw it in, and pulsed to my little heart's content. Here's the thing: the pieces came out in a variety of different sizes. Some were what I would call fine, but others were downright coarse. Next time, I will either have to "man-up" and just put some elbow grease into using my microplane, or I will simply leave out the zest component of the recipe. Either way would probably be an improvement. Although the sorbet is delicious, after you swallow a cold, fresh, tart bite of sorbet, you then get to chew on...chunks of lemon peel. Bleh.

Anyway, here's the recipe as printed by the Cuisinart people:

Fresh Lemon Sorbet

Preparation: 10 minutes + cooling time, 25-30 minutes chilling time; optional 2 hours to "ripen" in the freezer.
Makes 8 half-cup servings.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (7-8 lemons for me)
1 tablespoon finely chopped (minced) lemon zest

Directions:
1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer wihtout stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Cool completely. This is called a simple syrup, and may be made ahead in larger quantities to have on hand for making this and other frozen desserts. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

3. When cool, add the lemon juice and zest; stir to combine.

4. Pour the lemon mixture into the ice cream machine's freezer bowl and mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 204 (0% from fat)
Carbs.: 52 grams
Protein: 19 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Sodium: 2 milligrams

As I mentioned above, I have made several desserts with my ice cream machine. Stay tuned for even more deliciousness! =]