Lemon Ice

As it’s been such a sunny week, it’s appropriate that Rayleigh’s own food blog – Big Spud – has a recipe for lemon ice

“Rossi?s in known throughout South Essex as the ice cream brand. The Rossi?s van came round my street every night after school, you could stroll along Marine Parade and visit their shop, or drop by their kiosk on Southend High Street. I was astonished as I grew up and went outside of the county to realise no-one else had heard of it. But it?s a brand that goes back eighty years, and it?s familiar blue-and-white livery is a prominent landmark on the Southend promenade….
….. Their ?vanilla? ice cream is great ? doesn?t actually taste of vanilla, it tastes of white, but it?s great ? but the crown jewel in their flavour riches is the lemon sorbet, or as it?s more commonly known, ?the lemon ice?. If you?ve not had the pleasure it doesn?t quite taste like a sorbet that you are used to; it?s smooth and extremely fine-grained, with a curious luminous yellow hue. But it?s the perfect treat on a hot Summer stroll along Southend High Street.
For my attempt I needed a really strong syrup with a slick of gelatine to try and recreate the smooth texture. After freezing I was amazed how close to the real thing it tasted!