Tricolore sorbet with strawberry, pear and basil

The main reason I serve this tricolour sorbet is for my work at the Italian Embassy but I cannot deny how well it goes down. After a summer meal, regardless of how filling it may have been, who can decline a sorbet to finish? Fruity, refreshing and creamy, sorbet is a guilt-free and delicious dessert.

Serves: 8 Preparation: 30 minutes (plus of couple of hours to set)

Cooking: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS: For the basil sorbet

500ml water 250g sugar

1 drop lemon juice 1 small bunch of basil (roughly 30g)

For the strawberry sorbet

220g ripe strawberries 500ml water 200g sugar

For the pear sorbet

400g ripe white pears 400ml water 100g sugar

30ml glucose syrup 1 drop lemon juice

METHOD:

For the the basil sorbet:

in a saucepan, combine water with the sugar and a drop of lemon juice. Bring to boil and let it cool down until at room temperature. Add the basil leaves to the liquid and put into a blender. Blend well and pass through a fine sieve to remove excess. Put into the ice cream maker. Once ready, after approximately 30 minutes, set aside in the freezer for a couple of hours.

For the strawberry sorbet:

clean the strawberries thoroughly. Prepare the syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boiling point.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool down.

Blend with the ripe strawberries, pass through a fine sieve and put into the ice cream maker.

Once ready, after approximately 30 minutes, set aside in the freezer for a couple of hours.

For the pear sorbet:

clean the pears. Discard the core and seeds and chop the pears roughly. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and glucose with a drop of lemon juice. Bring to boiling point. Add the pears to the saucepan, and remove from heat.

Allow the pears to cool down in the syrup. Put in a blender and blend until smooth.

Put into the ice cream maker, and after approximately 30 minutes, let it set in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Plate individually in cold shallow bowls, allowing a generous spoon of each sorbet per guest.

Garnish with fresh basil or fruits.

Recipe adapted from: 4 Grosvenor Square by Danilo Cortelini and Rachel Heward, available on Amazon.