Equipment
Ingredients
Raspberry-Rosemary Sorbet
- 150 ml water
- 150 g caster sugar
- 2 fresh rosemary
- 500 g raspberries, fresh or thawed frozen
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Champagne Soup Base
- 100 ml water
- 50 g caster sugar
- 5 ml vanilla bean paste
- 375 ml champagne or dry sparkling wine, chilled well
Garnish
- 50 g fresh raspberries
- 4 fresh rosemary
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 352 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 70 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 59 g
- Sodium
- 11 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 226 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 33 mg
- Phosphorus
- 41 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 38 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 186 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small saucepan, combine 150ml water and 150g caster sugar. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat, add the 2 rosemary sprigs, and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary, then chill the syrup completely.
Place 500g raspberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds, pressing with a spatula to extract all the juice and pulp.
Whisk the chilled rosemary syrup and 15ml lemon juice into the strained raspberry puree. Cover and chill in the refrigerator to at least 4 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 hours.
Pour the chilled raspberry mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm.
To make the soup base syrup, combine 100ml water, 50g caster sugar, and 5ml vanilla bean paste in a clean saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator completely.
Just before serving, gently pour the 375ml chilled champagne into the cold vanilla syrup. Stir very gently to combine without destroying the carbonation.
Place one large scoop of the raspberry-rosemary sorbet into the center of four chilled shallow bowls. Carefully pour the champagne soup around the base of the sorbet.
Garnish each bowl with a few fresh raspberries scattered in the soup and a tiny sprig of fresh rosemary on top of the sorbet. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using a Brut or Extra Brut champagne balances the sweetness of the sorbet. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, choose a Demi-Sec.
- The rosemary syrup can easily become bitter if the sprigs are left in for longer than 30 minutes or if they are boiled vigorously.
- If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the liquid in a shallow dish, scraping it with a fork every 30 minutes to create a granular raspberry-rosemary granita.
- Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to plating. This prevents the sorbet from melting prematurely when the soup is poured.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Champagne soup base should be mixed just before serving to preserve carbonation.
Freezer: 2 weeks — Sorbet can be kept frozen in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
Sorbet is extremely icy and hard to scoop
Cause: Not enough sugar in the fruit mixture or freezer is too cold
Fix: Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften, or pulse briefly in a food processor
Prevention: Ensure exact measurement of sugar and fully dissolve it; allow sorbet to sit at room temperature briefly before scooping
Champagne soup is flat and lacks bubbles
Cause: Champagne was mixed into the syrup too vigorously or too far in advance
Fix: Cannot be fixed once carbonation is lost, but will still taste delicious as a still wine broth
Prevention: Mix gently just before plating and ensure both liquids are ice cold
Cultural Context
Dessert soups, or soupes de fruits, have a long tradition in European haute cuisine. Often serving as a palate cleanser or a light, refreshing finish to a rich multi-course meal, they beautifully bridge the gap between beverages and plated desserts.
