Sherbet dipper Recipe
- vegetable oil, for greasing
- 150g/5½oz granulated sugar
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 tbsp liquid glucose
- 4 lolly sticks
- 1 lemon
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp powdered citric acid (from the chemist)
- To make the lollies, draw four 6cm/2½in circles on a piece of baking parchment. Lightly grease the circles with vegetable oil.
- Put the sugar, lemon juice, liquid glucose and a tablespoon of boiling water in a small heavy-based pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Add a sugar thermometer and increase the heat until the syrup is simmering steadily. Watch the temperature carefully and cook until it reaches 150C/300F (the ‘hard crack’ stage). (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully. Use a deep pan to avoid boiling over.)
- Quickly dip the base of the pan into cold water to stop it cooking any further.
- Take a teaspoon and carefully spoon some of the syrup into each circle on the parchment. Push in the sticks and spoon some more syrup onto each lolly. Set aside to cool.
- While the lollies are setting make the sherbet. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Use a vegetable peeler to pare the yellow peel from the lemon, leaving as much white pith as possible on the fruit. Put the peelings on a baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes in the preheated oven until dried out and golden-brown. Allow to cool.
- Blend the lemon peel in a blender, or use a knife, until finely chopped. Add the caster sugar and citric acid and blend again briefly to combine.
- Eat the lollies with the sherbet.
