Lavender sorbet with blueberry soup

This is one of my favourite summer desserts, and I like to ring the changes with it by combining camomile sorbet with peach soup, elderflower sorbet and strawberry soup or linden flower sorbet accompanied by a delicate apricot soup.

Using fresh lavender makes an appreciable difference in sorbets. The aromatic oils fade fairly quickly, and if you use dried lavender the flavour tends to be somewhat flattened, bearing in mind that chilling also reduces its flavour.