A couple of weekends ago I invited a few friends over for a very simple BBQ. I provided burgers and hot-dogs. I told my guests to bring the rest: salads, merguez, sandwich platters, and chips. I knew there were going to be a couple of desserts already but I wanted to offer my gluten and dairy free friend a sweet option.

Sorbet was an obvious choice and it was perfect for the warmer weather. Standard go-to flavors in my home are a no-no. I had to find something original. This Lemonade Iced Tea Sorbet fits the bill. It’s thirst quenching and practically doubles as the usual tea or coffee served at the end of a meal.

lemonade iced tea sorbet

Tricks for making sorbet:
– Add BOOZE! Adding a touch of alcohol to your frozen dessert will help keep it a bit soft. Why? Because alcohol only freezes around -173F (-114C). When a bit of alcohol is mixed in well its particles will remain liquid and keep the whole mass from sticking together. But don’t put too much or the sorbet will never freeze.

– Keep in mind this is totally optional. If you want to keep the sorbet booze free just add a bit more lemon juice then the recipe calls for, an acidic juice will convert table sugar to simple sugar which will help in preventing crystallization.

Well, at least those are the theories. You could use any type of alcohol you would like here but I went with Bourbon. For one, I am still under the influence of my trip to New Orleans (brought back a bottle), and I also had a Bourbon lemonade in Montreal a couple of month’s ago. It’s a good marriage! If you are not a fan of Bourbon why not try Vodka or Gin!

The recipe I used for this Lemonade Iced Tea Sorbet was an all-around hit with my guests. Everyone loved it and they all thought it was very refreshing.

Lemonade Iced Tea Sorbet

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 4 regular-sized English Breakfast tea bags
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup ice water
  • 2 tbsp bourbon (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes and remove tea bags.
  • Add sugar to the tea and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then stir in lemon juice, ice water and alcohol is using. Chill completely in refrigerator.
  • Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's manual. Place in a covered container and freeze until firm.