Clementine Sorbet

The quantity of ice below is enough to fill 10-18 clementine shells.

Tangerines, mandarins or satsumas may also be used in this recipe.

Serves 10-12, depending on whether people eat 1 or 2 servings

Syrup:

8ozs (250g) sugar

Juice of ¼ lemon

¼ pint (150ml) water

20-28 clementines Juice of ½ lemon Icing sugar (optional)

Garnish:

Vine or bay leaves

First make the syrup. Heat the first three ingredients over a low heat, until they are dissolved together and clear. Bring to the boil, and boil for a further 2-3 minutes. Leave to cool.

Grate the zest from 10 of the tangerines, and squeeze the juice from them. Cut the remaining tangerines so that they each have a lid. Scoop out the sections with a small spoon and them press them through a nylon sieve, (alternatively, you could liquidise the pulp and then strain). You should end up with 1¼ pints (750ml) juice. Add the grated zest, the lemon juice and the syrup. Taste and add icing sugar or extra lemon juice, if more sweetness or sharpness is required. Freeze the sorbet until firm.

Chill the shells in the fridge or freezer and then fill them with the sorbet. Replace the lids and store in the freezer.

Cover with cling film if not serving on the same day. Serve on a white plate decorated with vine or bay leaves.

Notes on freezing the sorbet:

1. Pour into the drum of an ice-cream maker or sorbetiere and freeze for 20-25 minutes. Scoop out and serve immediately or store in a covered bowl in the freezer until needed.

2. Pour the juice into a stainless steel or plastic container and put into the freezer. After about 4-5 hours when the sorbet is semi-frozen, remove and whisk until smooth, then return to freezer.

Whisk again when almost frozen and fold in one stiffly-beaten egg white. Keep in the freezer until needed.

3. If you have a food processor simply freeze the sorbet completely in a stainless steel or plastic bowl, then break into large pieces and whizz up in the food processor for a few seconds. Add one slightly beaten egg white, whizz again for another few seconds, then return to the bowl and freeze again until needed.