Indulge in Yuzu Sorbet, a classic Japanese dessert known for its refreshing taste. This popular treat is flavorful and perfect for cleansing the palate.
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What is Yuzu Sorbet?
Yuzu Sorbet is a type of sorbet made with yuzu juice and zest as key ingredients. Yuzu is a citrus fruit known for its unique and refreshing aroma, and it is added as an accent to various dishes in Japan. When used in sorbet, the delightful scent of yuzu spreads throughout your mouth, allowing you to fully enjoy its distinctive flavor.
This sorbet is delicious during the hot summer, but in Japan, it is particularly popular as a winter treat when yuzu is in season. It is perfect after consuming hot dishes like hot pot or stew, or as a palate cleanser after enjoying oily foods.
So, what is yuzu?
Yuzu is a traditional citrus fruit that has been used in Japanese cuisine for generations. It possesses a unique and refreshing aroma distinct from other citrus fruits, often employed to enhance the flavor and aroma of dishes.
Resembling a lemon in appearance, it is palm-sized with a thick, uneven peel. Both the juice and peel have a fresh aroma, but since the peel, in particular, contains aromatic components, it is usually shredded or grated and incorporated into dishes.
In Japan, yuzu is commonly found in grocery stores during the cold winter, but outside of Japan, you may need to look for it in Asian markets. However, yuzu was selected as one of the top 10 food trends for 2022 by the American multinational supermarket chain Whole Foods Market, so there is a possibility that it could soon be readily available in mainstream grocery stores as well.
Type of sugar to use
In Japan, it is common to use granulated sugar when making Western-style confectionery. Granulated sugar is the most commonly used sugar in the United States and European countries, known for its fine texture, smooth feel, and refined sweetness. It has high purity, and when dissolved in water, it results in a clearer finish, preserving the color of other ingredients without affecting them.
While it is possible to use different types of sugar when making yuzu sorbet, using granulated sugar enhances the delicate color of yuzu even further. For this reason, if you have the option to choose the type of sugar, I highly recommend using granulated sugar for this sorbet.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 2 yuzu (to extract the following amounts of juice and ground zest)
- - 1 ½ Tbsp yuzu juice (1½ Tbsp is equivalent to the amount from about 1-2 yuzu)
- - 0.18 oz ground yuzu zest (0.18 oz (5g) is equivalent to the amount from about 1 yuzu)
- 1 cup water
- ⅖ cup granulated sugar
Topping:
- mint leaves
Instructions
🕒 Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
Step 1
Heat water and sugar in a pot. Once the sugar is completely dissolved in the water, turn off the heat and let it cool.
Step 2
Grate only the yuzu zest, being careful not to include the white pith. After grating the required amount of zest, cut the yuzu in half and squeeze out its juice.
Step 3
Mix the sugar-water solution with the yuzu juice and grated yuzu zest in a sheet pan or similarly wide container. Then, place the pan in the freezer and let it chill for 90 minutes.
Step 4
Take the pan out of the freezer and crush the mixture with a fork or spoon until it becomes smooth. Return it to the freezer and let it chill for about 30 minutes. Repeat this process a total of three times.
Step 5
Serve the mixture in cups and top each with mint leaves to taste.
To Store
You can store it in the freezer.
Tips on how to make
- When grating the yuzu zest, be careful to avoid including the white pith. It can result in a bitter finish. Additionally, make sure not to use an excessive amount of yuzu zest, as it can also contribute to bitterness.
- Freeze the sugar-water solution with the yuzu juice and grated yuzu zest on a sheet pan or in a similarly wide container. By spreading it thinly before freezing, it becomes easier to crush finely with a spoon or fork.
- The process of freezing and crushing the mixture contributes to the smooth texture of sorbet. While this recipe suggests using a spoon or fork, if you have a blender available, you can also use it to blend the mixture after it has frozen thoroughly.
Recipe card
Yuzu Sorbet
Ingredients
- 2 yuzu (to extract the following amounts of juice and ground zest)
- - 1 ½ Tbsp yuzu juice (1½ Tbsp is equivalent to the amount from about 1-2 yuzu)
- - 0.18 oz ground yuzu zest (0.18 oz (5g) is equivalent to the amount from about 1 yuzu)
- 1 cup water
- ⅖ cup granulated sugar
Topping:
- mint leaves
Instructions
- Heat water and sugar in a pot. Once the sugar is completely dissolved in the water, turn off the heat and let it cool.
- Grate only the yuzu zest, being careful not to include the white pith. After grating the required amount of zest, cut the yuzu in half and squeeze out its juice.
- Mix the sugar-water solution with the yuzu juice and grated yuzu zest in a sheet pan or similarly wide container. Then, place the pan in the freezer and let it chill for 90 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the freezer and crush the mixture with a fork or spoon until it becomes smooth. Return it to the freezer and let it chill for about 30 minutes. Repeat this process a total of three times.
- Serve the mixture in cups and top each with mint leaves to taste.
Notes
- You can store it in the freezer.
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