Osmanthus Mandarin Sorbet Recipe

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Back to culture

20th October, 2026

Osmanthus Mandarin Sorbet Recipe

Composed by Benjamin Kelly

A mandarin and osmanthus sorbet Alix and I created back in 2022. Two main ingredients from opposite sides of the world, in season at the same time. The flower’s honeyed, apricot notes sit naturally with the sweetness of the fruit.

Fresh-pressed juice, bright and clean, with a little zest for perfume. The osmanthus arrives at the finish, soft and floral

Image: Osmanthus Flowers

October brings the last of the mandarins, with Honey Murcotts at their sweetest. In Zhejiang, osmanthus flowers for only a few days, then is gathered and dried to keep its sweet, buttery scent.

Best made now, while late season mandarins are at their peak.

Video: Sorbet in the ice cream churner

Ingredients

Method

1kg of mandarin juice (approx 2.5kg of mandarins. Honey Murcotts are best late season in October)

260g of caster sugar

75g liquid glucose

200ml water

12g osmanthus flowers

Peel of 2 mandarins (thin strips, orange skin only, no white pith)

30ml lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

Pinch of salt

Before you start: If your ice cream churner has a freezer bowl, freeze it for 24 hours

1. Using a vegetable peeler, take thin strips of skin from 2 mandarins, avoiding the white pith, and set aside in a small bowl. Then peel, press & strain mandarin juice. Weigh out 1kg and chill

2. Add water, sugar and glucose into a saucepan and bring to a simmer ensuring all sugar is dissolved

3. Take sugar syrup off heat, add osmanthus flowers and mandarin peel and stir for 1 min. Let the osmanthus sugar syrup infuse until syrup drops to room temperature

4. Strain sugar syrup* then add to the juice and add lemon juice and a pinch of salt (adjust to taste)

5. Chill mixture for minimum 4 hours (best overnight). Taste before churning

6. Add to the ice cream churner**, stop when it looks like soft serve

7. Transfer to a chilled container, press baking paper onto the surface and freeze for 1 to 2 hours to firm up

8. Take out 5 to 10 minutes before serving

If you prefer a stronger osmanthus profile, keep flowers in sorbet mixture overnight, strain, then churn

** If you don’t have an ice cream maker add to the freezer and every 30 minutes take out and whisk