Lemon Sorbet
Lemon sorbet is frozen lemon juice, sugar and water, churned smooth; most contain no dairy, though some recipes whisk in egg white. In our Sgroppino one scoop, softened for two minutes, is whisked with 20ml of vodka and then 60ml of prosecco into a pourable froth. It brings the drink’s body and its acid at once, so choose a sharp one.
Quick Facts
Frozen, lid on. Soften for two minutes before whisking.
None of the 14 listed allergens. Some recipes and brands add egg white; check the tub.
About Lemon Sorbet
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Clean lemon acidity in frozen silk: the sharpness is structural, the cold is the texture.
Lemon, sugar and water, frozen smooth
Sorbet is fruit juice or purée with sugar and water, churned as it freezes so the ice stays fine. A lemon sorbet is mostly sharp lemon and sugar, with no milk. The sugar keeps it soft enough to scoop; lemon juice frozen on its own sets hard. Some recipes whisk in egg white for a softer scoop, which is why the tub, not the name, decides the allergens.
Lemon sorbet against its frozen neighbours
Lemon sorbet
- Base
- Lemon juice, sugar, water
- Texture
- Smooth, churned
- Usual allergens
- Usually none; some add egg white
Lemon granita
- Base
- Lemon juice, sugar, water
- Texture
- Coarse, scraped flakes
- Usual allergens
- Usually none
Lemon ice cream
- Base
- Milk or cream, sugar, lemon
- Texture
- Creamy
- Usual allergens
- Milk, often egg
| Frozen | Base | Texture | Usual allergens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon sorbet | Lemon juice, sugar, water | Smooth, churned | Usually none; some add egg white |
| Lemon granita | Lemon juice, sugar, water | Coarse, scraped flakes | Usually none |
| Lemon ice cream | Milk or cream, sugar, lemon | Creamy | Milk, often egg |
The Sgroppino is whisked, not shaken
Our Sgroppino softens one scoop for two minutes in a chilled bowl, whisks it smooth with 20ml of vodka, then adds 60ml of prosecco in three or four pours, whisking each in. The result is a pourable froth, poured into a chilled flute at once, with a lemon twist expressed over it.
Sharpness is the test of a tub
The sorbet is both body and acid, so it has to be sharp enough to stand against the prosecco’s sweetness. Taste before you buy again, keep the tub frozen with the lid on, and never refreeze sorbet that has melted: it sets into ice and will not whisk smooth. A tub with large crystals or a frosty skin has thawed at some point and will whisk grainy, so start a fresh one for guests.
Using Lemon Sorbet
Usage
One scoop, softened for two minutes in a chilled bowl, whisked smooth with 20ml of vodka, then with 60ml of prosecco added in three or four pours. Pour into a chilled flute at once.
Pro Tip
Chill the bowl and the flute. Everything warm in a Sgroppino turns froth into liquid faster.
Top Tips
- Taste the sorbet first. A sharp one makes a Sgroppino; a sweet one makes a melted pudding.
- Soften it for two minutes before whisking, no longer.
- Add the prosecco in stages, whisking each in before the next.
- Make one at a time. The froth starts to settle as soon as it is made.
Possible Substitutions
- Other citrus sorbets: mandarin and grapefruit make legitimate Sgroppino readings
- Lemon granita: coarser, more rustic, same direction
Production Method
Lemon juice, sugar and water, sometimes with zest, a stabiliser or whisked egg white, frozen while churned to keep the ice crystals small.
More to explore
Common Questions
What is a Sgroppino?
Does lemon sorbet contain dairy or egg?
What lemon sorbet should I buy for a Sgroppino?
How soft should the sorbet be before whisking?
Can I use another sorbet?
Can I make a Sgroppino without alcohol?
Made with Lemon Sorbet
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Updated 18 October 2026