Lemon sorbet is a classic and delicious frozen dessert, but since lemon juice is low in body and pectin, your sorbet can turn out icy and gritty instead of smooth. To fix this, try adding a small amount of alcohol, which creates a creamier texture by lowering the freezing point of the mixture —- and one liquor in particular is the best kind to use.

The best spirit to use in sorbet is vodka, which adds a subtler alcoholic flavor to the dessert while keeping things smooth by reducing ice crystal formation. When making sorbet with vodka, add the liquor to the base after it has been cooked and fully cooled, so that the alcohol doesn’t cook out, then continue with your recipe as normal.

Vodka and lemon sorbet is a slightly grown-up dessert that's great to serve at barbecues, picnics, or even as a palate cleanser between courses. It can also be paired with other desserts like cake or garnishes like fruit, and you can add herbs or spices like mint or ginger to the base mixture before freezing it.