I have an embarrassment of riches in my herb garden this year! The early warming trends and abundant rain have caused my mint, basil, verbena and other herbs to take the pace over so I’m always on the lookout for new and creative uses of these summertime green treats. I love basil and mint in sweet dishes, as well as in savory preparations and thought I’d try a sorbet with prominent basil flavors as a sophisticated summer dessert.
I paired the basil with tangy buttermilk and some lemon for a delicious sorbet and thought about topping it with some warm sauce made from fresh blueberries. So delicious and colorful! It really is a gorgeous dessert that wakes up all the senses, and is also a digestive aid, thanks to the basil and berries. It’s a surprisingly healthy treat too with some calcium, loads of antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber…what more could you ask for in a simple summer dessert? Serve this as is, or aside some yummy cookies or cake as a special treat for guests. Enjoy!
Basil, Lemon and Buttermilk Sorbet with Blueberry Sauce
Ingredients
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup basil, cut into ribbons
4 cups buttermilk
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
- Mix the water, 1 cup of the sugar and the basil in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until reduced and syrup-like.
- Cool to room temperature and then place in a food processer or blender and process for about one minute to ensure that the basil is finely chopped. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour and for up to 2 days.
- Once chilled, mix the basil syrup with the buttermilk, remaining sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a blender. Put the mixture in the blender back in the refrigerator to chill for at least 10 minutes and up to several hours.
- Place in an ice cream freezer and churn for 20-25 minutes until it has reached desired consistency. Freeze immediately if not serving at once.
- Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving.
Blueberry Sauce
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