26 March 2025
Frozen Fig Sorbet Cups with Honey & Fig Leaf
RecipeShare Test Kitchen
Fresh figs hollowed and filled with silky fig-leaf sorbet sweetened with lavender honey for a fragrant, naturally fruity frozen dessert you can prep ahead.
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
0 mins
Total time
270 mins
Servings
8
Recipe Snapshot
Rating4.7
Chef's Tips
Use ripe but still firm figs so they hold their shape once hollowed and frozen.
Fig leaves can vary in strength—taste the infusion and adjust with a little extra honey if it tastes too green.
If the sorbet feels too soft after churning, freeze it a bit longer before piping into the fig shells.
Tools Used
Sharp Knife(opens in a new tab)Small SaucepanImmersion Blender(opens in a new tab)Ice Cream Maker(opens in a new tab)Mixing Bowl(opens in a new tab)Piping Bag
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Ingredients
Ingredients
USMetric
Fig Shells
Fig Sorbet
Instructions
Prepare the fig shells
- 1
Cut the tops off each fig at about three-quarters of their height and reserve the tops.
- 2
Trim a tiny slice off the base of each fig so they stand upright without tipping.
- 3
Using a small spoon, carefully hollow out a little of the fig flesh from the centre, taking care not to pierce the skin. Reserve the flesh for the sorbet.
- 4
Arrange the hollowed figs and their tops on a freezer-safe tray and freeze for about 2 hours until firm.
Make the fig sorbet
- 1
Place the fig leaf in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water (about 200 g). Cover and infuse for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine or conical sieve to remove the leaf.
- 2
Warm the fig-leaf infusion to about 40°C (105°F) in a small saucepan, then whisk in the lavender honey until dissolved.
- 3
Sprinkle in the glucose powder and super neutrose, whisking well to avoid lumps, and bring to a gentle boil for about 1 minute.
- 4
In a mixing bowl, combine the whole fresh figs, the reserved hollowed fig flesh and the hot syrup.
- 5
Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until completely smooth and evenly mixed.
- 6
Cover and refrigerate the sorbet base for about 2 hours to chill and hydrate the stabiliser.
- 7
Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker for 10–15 minutes, or until it reaches a soft-sorbet texture.
- 8
Transfer the churned sorbet to a cold container and freeze for about 2 hours, or until firm enough to pipe.
Assembly
- 1
Fit a piping bag with a Saint-Honoré or similar decorative tip and fill it with the fig sorbet.
- 2
Pipe the sorbet into each frozen fig shell, filling from the base up and creating a decorative swirl on top if you like.
- 3
Cap each fig with its reserved top and serve immediately for a soft centre, or freeze briefly to firm up before plating.
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Frozen Fig Sorbet Cups with Honey and Fig Leaf
Frozen Fig Sorbet Cups with Honey and Fig Leaf
These fig sorbet cups use hollowed fresh figs as the serving shell for a fig and honey sorbet scented with fig leaf. The dessert stays dairy-free and works as a small fruit-based frozen course.
Fig Leaf and Honey
Fig Leaf and Honey
Fig leaf adds a green, lightly coconut-like aroma when infused in hot water. Combined with figs and honey, it gives the sorbet a fuller flavor without adding many extra ingredients.
Frozen Fig Shells
Frozen Fig Shells
Freezing the hollowed figs helps them hold their shape during filling and slows melting once the sorbet is piped inside. The reserved tops can be added back before serving if you want the dessert to read as whole fruit.
Texture Notes
Texture Notes
Figs contain a lot of water, so glucose powder and super neutrose help keep the sorbet smoother after churning and freezing. A short freeze after filling helps the sorbet set inside the shells without becoming too hard.
Serving Notes
Serving Notes
These fig sorbet cups can be served on their own or with a little extra honey, toasted almonds, mint, or an edible flower.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 stuffed fig (about 80 g)
Calories 804%
% Reference Intake*
Total Fat 0.4g1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 2mg
Total Carbohydrates 20g8%
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 17g19%
Protein 1g2%
Standardised comparison basis: 100 g
Calories 1005%
% Reference Intake*
Total Fat 1g1%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 3mg
Total Carbohydrates 25g10%
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 21g23%
Protein 1g2%
* Reference intakes are based on an average adult's 8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal diet. Your needs may be higher or lower.
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4.7
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Ana
· 18 Sept 2025So refreshing and light. I made them ahead and just piped the sorbet and added the tops right before serving, which worked well for entertaining.
Marco
· 2 Jul 2025Used regular honey instead of lavender and it still turned out well. The texture of the sorbet inside the frozen figs was a nice surprise.
Lara
· 10 Apr 2025The fig leaf aroma with the honey was very good and still quite simple to put together. I loved serving these after a long summer dinner.
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