Somewhere along the way, mint sherbet got a bad rap. Perhaps too many catered wedding receptions began with a pallid artificially green scoop melting away in the middle of a melon half, the sherbet chosen because it matched the bridesmaids’ dresses rather than for its taste. Thankfully, any color you’ll find in this mint sherbet comes naturally from a big handful of fragrant, zesty fresh mint. Unlike ice cream, sherbet is usually made with milk, and no cream or eggs, so I never feel guilty about indulging in a couple of scoops. Nor do I feel deprived if I’m craving something a tad creamy. Light yet creamy—it’s a recipe for a perfect marriage.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 5 cups (1.25 liters) sherbet; 6 to 8 servings

　　

Mint sherbet

4 cups (1 liter) whole milk

　　1 cup (200 g) sugar

　　2 cups (80 g) lightly packed fresh mint leaves, crushed, plus a few leaves for mixing in

　　3 large egg whites, at room temperature

　　Pinch of salt

　　

Figs roasted with chartreuse and honey

1 pound (450 g) fresh figs

　　3 tablespoons (45 ml) Chartreuse

　　2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey

　　2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme

　　

Step 1

To make the sherbet, in a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and crushed mint leaves, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour.

　　

Step 2

Pour the milk through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl, squeezing the mint leaves firmly to fully extract the flavor; discard the leaves. Cover the mint-infused milk and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

　　

Step 3

Just before churning, in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or in a bowl by hand), whisk the egg whites and salt on high speed until they form soft peaks. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chilled milk.

　　

Step 4

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Finely chop the mint leaves and fold them into the just-churned sherbet when you remove it from the ice cream machine.

　　

Step 5

To make the roasted figs, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the tough stem ends from the figs, then halve each one. Toss the figs in a shallow baking dish that holds them in a single layer with Chartreuse, honey, and thyme sprigs; turn the figs so they’re cut side down. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the figs are soft and tender, about 25 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Serve the figs warm or at room temperature with scoops of the mint sherbet.

　　

Storage

Step 7

The figs benefit from being cooked in advance—the liquid that they exude during baking becomes syrupy as they sit and is perfect for drizzling over the sherbet. If possible, bake the figs a few hours or up to 2 days before you plan to serve them, then reheat them in a low oven if you want to serve them warm.

　　

tip

Step 8

If you have concerns about using uncooked egg whites, use pasteurized egg whites designated “suitable for whipping,” available in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Or, you can make the sherbet without them.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.