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Waiter There’s Something In My… Citron

I almost missed that one, all entangled that I was in webs of spun sugar! This month’s edition of "Waiter There’s Something In My…" focuses on stuffed fruits or vegetables and is hosted by Jeanne from Cooksister.

There are those challenges when two or three recipes come to my mind and I keep oscillating between them for days…not for that one. For some reason only known to my brain (and trust me sometimes we don’t communicate very well), the only thing that came to my mind and stayed there was "Citron Givre", or Frozen Lemon, another typical bistro dessert in France back in th 70s and 80s: a hollowed lemon filled with lemon sorbet. This was my dessert of choice when I was a child, really, it never failed that anywhere we went with my parents I would either have "vacherin" (a dessert of meringue and ice cream) or citron givre. Imagine: a whole lemon stuffed with more refreshing tart and sweet lemon flavored! How fitting for the theme and the hot days we are having now!

As an adult, I did not lose my love for anything lemony but I also added a repertoire of spices, herbs and other ingredients to my palate. This particular sorbet falls more on the line of a sherbet as it contains milk but the French only have one word for "sorbet". The ice cream was inspired by Pierre Herme’s Lemon sorbet (sherbet) and kicked up a notch with crystallized ginger. The only downfalls to this particular dessert are that you don’t want to share and you wished you had more!!

Citrons Givres:

Serves 4

4 lemons
150 ml lemon juice (some coming from hollowing out the lemons + extra if needed)
150 gr. (2/3 cup) sugar
150 ml whole milk (less fat makes it curddle)
150 ml water
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger (your taste)

Slice a tiny bit off of the bottoms of the lemons so that they can sit straight (relatively speaking). Slice the top off and keep that "hat".
Scoop as much of the flesh out of each lemon and set in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. With your hands or the back of a spoon press as much of the lemon juice as you can and measure 150 ml. Add extra lemon juice if needed.
In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the water and sugar to a bol. Add the ginger and let cool completely. Add the milk and the lemon juice, stir and process in your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s directions.
If you do not have an ice cream machine: freeze until soft serve consistency and mix with an immersion blender or whisk in a stand mixer. Put back in the freezer and repeat the operation 2-3 times, leaving enough time in between whippings for the mixture to get frozen.

Once your ice cream is ready, fill the lemon cavities and keep frozen until ready to serve.
The presentation always makes people happy and you have just made an easy bistro dessert in almost no time!!


Head over to Jeanne’s blog in a few days for a tasty roundup!

Previous Tartelette’s participations:
Waiter, There’s Something in My Brioche
Waiter, There’s Something in My Easter Basket
Waiter, There’s Something in My Pie

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Comments


Lisa Fain (Homesick Texan) May 29, 2007 um 5:50 pm

Those are adorable! And thanks for the tips on how to create this if you don’t have an ice-cream maker.


Mia May 29, 2007 um 8:47 pm

Eee! my brother and I would always get those when we were on vacation in France, but I haven’t thought about them in years. You’re right, their looks are like an instant pick-me-up of good cheer!


Fabienne May 29, 2007 um 8:58 pm

Mais c’est divin et quelle présentation, j’adore !


Nora B. May 29, 2007 um 9:07 pm

Those look so beautiful. You are very talented indeed!


Nabeela May 29, 2007 um 10:21 pm

beautiful pictures!


Chris May 30, 2007 um 1:32 am

Very cool!


Lis May 30, 2007 um 2:15 am

I love them – they are so cute! I’ve seen these lil guys on The Martha’s show and I’ve always wanted to try one.. now I’ve got an excellent recipe to follow. =)

xoxoxo


Meeta K. Wolff May 30, 2007 um 5:38 am

Those look exquisite Helene!! A visual treat and I am 100% sure they taste even more delish!


Amanda at Little Foodies May 30, 2007 um 9:46 am

They are beautiful and would be such a lovely thing to serve to guests. I think I’d like them after a hot and spicy meal. Amanda


Anonymous May 30, 2007 um 10:03 am

Lovely presentation! I just adore lemon, too.


Inne May 30, 2007 um 11:51 am

Those look absolutely delicious! I’m so jealous that they go with the weather in your part of the world – the weather in my part of the world has me still wearing my winter coat 🙁


Truffle May 30, 2007 um 12:05 pm

This dish looks heavenly! I’m desperate for a taste!


Cheryl May 30, 2007 um 1:40 pm

What a beautiful cool summer dessert. And they come in their own perfect cups.


Brilynn May 30, 2007 um 1:54 pm

I love the last pic with the lemons wearing little hats! Delicious.


Patricia Scarpin May 30, 2007 um 2:57 pm

Very beautiful, Helene!
Citrus is my weakness. 🙂


Kelly-Jane May 30, 2007 um 7:18 pm

They are beautiful, lemon and ginger, yum.


Susan from Food Blogga May 30, 2007 um 11:26 pm

I’m so glad that they popped into your mind because now I’ve learned about them. The presentation is stunning!


Aimée May 31, 2007 um 1:38 am

Adorable! They look just as refreshing as diving into a glacier-fed lake..and I would know!
Well done.


janelle May 31, 2007 um 4:50 am

Wowza: gorgeous photos!


Cookie baker Lynn May 31, 2007 um 1:34 pm

Oh lovely, frosty cups of lemon deliciousness! How wonderful. I am definitely going to be making these this summer.


Parisbreakfasts May 31, 2007 um 2:38 pm

Is the "Citron Givre", another typical bistro dish to disappear off the menu?
It looks divine here, but I’ve never seen it on offer in France…
The again maybe I didn’t recognize it’s name. But I can almost never find assette de crudite anymore…


Jeanne May 31, 2007 um 3:44 pm

Oh Helen! You have rewritten the book on "adorableness"!! I love these – there was a bit of a fashion for them in South Africa a couple of years ago – I think an enterprising company was doing lemons, oranges and (I think??) mangoes, and I fell in love. It’s such a pretty dessert and a great one to serve after a heavy meal. The idea of crystallised ginger in the lemon sorbet just knocks my socks off!

And *thank you* for remembering us little guys who do not have ice cream makers…

See you at next month’s WTSIM 🙂


Mercedes May 31, 2007 um 5:45 pm

I’ve always loved these, but never knew the proper name for them, how wonderful!


Anonymous May 31, 2007 um 8:12 pm

Oh I love these, Helene! Anything lemon is so refreshing, but I know these would really hit the spot! What an excellent entry!


Andrea May 31, 2007 um 11:25 pm

These are lovely and sound delicious!


Peabody May 31, 2007 um 11:30 pm

It looks so refreshing!


Pille June 1, 2007 um 7:18 am

I agree, this sounds so refreshing. We’re expecting a very hot summer here, so this could be a great hit!!


Thistlemoon June 2, 2007 um 7:30 pm

Beautiful and delicious. So perfect for the warmer months coming up. I have always loved fruit desserts served in their own skin.


Valentina June 3, 2007 um 1:52 pm

Wow, helen! these are absolutely divine. Are you French may I ask?


Anonymous June 22, 2007 um 6:12 pm

Thankyou so much for the recipe. I had these in france and they tasted amazing and now i can make some on my own. Thankyou


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