Sorbet is a lovely dessert, particularly if you combine fresh and sharp citrus flavours with more delicate fruits.

Much liked for its lightness, sorbet is not something one sees too often on restaurant dessert menus. I suppose because it's perceived by fancy chefs as too plain.

But it doesn't have to be plain at all, because it's very easy to dress a sorbet with syrupy berries, chopped fresh fruit, and even a dash or two of your favourite liqueur, spirit or fortified wine to turned it into an attractive, very tasty dessert.

My favourite sorbet is made up of orange and lemon (or lime) juice as the base, and blended with gentler fruits such as plums, apricots, peaches and mangos.

But whatever you use, it all goes chop-chop. Just a few minutes to make and then three or four hours in the freezer, it's as simple as that.

To make four to six portions you need:

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Pour the water into a saucepan and add the sugar, orange juice, lime (or lemon) juice and zest and bring to the boil.

Simmer for five minutes, then set aside to cool.

Blitz the sugary citrus liquid and all the fruit together in a food processor until smooth.

Scoop into a dish and freeze for three to four hours.

Serve with a slice or two of fruit and add a fresh mint leaf or two for colour.