Lavender sorbet

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 15 stems of lavender
• 150 ml water
• 250 ml white wine, e.g. Pinot Grigio or Riesling
• 150 g sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 6 tsp liquid honey

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 2 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 minutes; Total time approx. 2 days 32 minutes

a midsummer night’s dream

Set aside 12 lavender stems for decoration. Pick the flowers from the remaining three and place them in a small saucepan. Add the white wine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Set aside. In another small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir; the sugar will dissolve immediately. Set aside. Let both saucepans cool and store in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, pour the lavender wine through a sieve into the saucepan with the sugar water and mix. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the lavender syrup. Transfer the mixture to a shallow plastic container, close the lid, and place in the freezer. After half a day, remove the container briefly and gently fold in the mixture. Do not stir, and place it back in the freezer. The sorbet needs one to two days to freeze. To serve, scoop out dumplings with a spoon and serve in a glass. Drizzle a little honey over the lavender sorbet with a small spoon and serve with two lavender stems on top. The stems used for decoration not only smell wonderful, but can also be eaten. This is an unusual, inexpensive recipe for family and guests. I use lavender from my own garden, which doesn’t need washing. It’s wonderful to prepare ahead for a festive meal and simply needs to be served as needed. If you don’t use it all up, the sorbet will still taste good a few days later. It’s also suitable for an ice cream maker, although this will obviously require a shorter preparation and chilling time.