Lemon sorbet is such a simple pleasure that it's a mistake to play around with it too much – instead, make sure you get the basics right. The only small adjustment I'd make to the Weirs' otherwise perfect recipe is to up the lemon content: you really can't make this ice too zingy. Spend time tweaking the balance of sweet and sour until it suits you, and beat it into smooth submission, and you'll be rewarded with one of summer's greatest pleasures. Now all we need is some sunshine.

Serves 6-8

350g caster sugar
14 lemons, at least 5 unwaxed

1. Put 250g sugar into a pan with 250ml boiling water and heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to bubble for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened, then set aside and allow to cool completely.

2. Zest the unwaxed lemons and finely chop the resulting peel. Juice all the lemons and strain to remove any pulp and stray pips. Add the chopped peel and stir in the rest of the sugar to dissolve. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.

3. Add equal amounts of syrup and cold water, 25ml at a time, and taste, until the flavour is to your liking – remember that freezing will mute it slightly, so it should be quite intense.

4. Put in an ice cream maker and churn according to instructions. Alternatively pour into a strong plastic box and put in the coldest part of the freezer. After 1 hour 30 minutes it should have frozen round the edges – take it out and beat vigorously with a fork, electric whisk or in a food processor until you have a uniformly textured icy slush. Put back in the freezer and repeat at least twice more every hour and a half, then freeze for at least another hour.

5. Transfer the sorbet to the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.