Hibiscus Basil Sorbet

Servings: 1L
Total time: 6 hours (20 minutes active)

A bright hibiscus sorbet built on your Basil Sorbet base ratio and method, with lemon-zest sugar and a basil hint without green specks.

Ingredients

• 700g water
• 15g dried hibiscus flowers (jamaica)
• 200g white sugar
• 50g glucose syrup
• 10g fresh basil leaves
• 30g lemon juice
• 4g lemon zest (1 lemon)
• 1g xanthan gum

Steps

1. Mix the sugar and lemon zest thoroughly (as in your Lemon Sorbet), then let sit 30–60 minutes to perfume the sugar.
2. Bring the water to a simmer, turn off the heat, add the dried hibiscus, cover, and steep 10 minutes.
3. Strain the hibiscus tea through a fine sieve; press lightly, then discard the flowers.
4. While the hibiscus tea is still warm, whisk in the lemon sugar and glucose syrup until fully dissolved.
5. Add the basil leaves, cover, and steep 3–5 minutes (short steep keeps basil aromatic without turning the base green).
6. Strain out the basil completely (fine sieve or cheesecloth).
7. Stir in the lemon juice, then chill the base until very cold (at least 2–4 hours).
8. Sprinkle in the xanthan gum and blend (immersion blender or countertop) until perfectly smooth.
9. Churn in your ice cream machine on low aeration, then harden in the freezer 2–4 hours.

Notes

• This intentionally mirrors your Basil Sorbet structure (water + sugar + glucose + xanthan, then churn low aeration), but swaps the “blend basil” step for a quick basil steep + strain to avoid green flecks.
• If you want more basil presence without color: steep basil stems (washed) 5–8 minutes instead of leaves.
• If it freezes too hard, increase glucose to 120g; if it’s too soft, drop glucose to 80g.