In short: after a meal as rich as raclette, a scoop of nice tangy sorbet is the simplest dessert and, in our opinion, the most enjoyable. Citrus and berry sorbets refresh, spiced and nutty ice creams feel more “mountain”, and a hot-and-cold dessert (warm fruit from the raclette grill and cold ice cream) always goes down a treat. Here are 40 flavours sorted by family.
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Ice cream or sorbet?
A sorbet is made from fruit, sugar and water, with no milk or cream; an ice cream contains dairy. After a raclette, sorbet is our favourite for its freshness, but a small scoop of spiced ice cream also has its place over the festive season. It’s all about quantity: one or two scoops, not a whole tub.
Tangy sorbets, our favourites
- Lemon: the great classic, the most refreshing.
- Lime and basil: for adventurous tables.
- Clementine or mandarin: in season in winter.
- Blood orange: beautiful colour, lively flavour.
- Pink grapefruit: slightly bitter, very clean.
- Pear: the perfect match for autumn fruit.
- Green apple: crisp and sharp.
- Blackcurrant: powerful, wonderful with a meringue.
- Raspberry: the most popular of the berries.
- Strawberry: sweet and comforting.
- Blueberry: a taste of the mountains.
- Passion fruit: the exotic wake-up call.
- Mango: creamy without any cream.
- Pineapple: perfect after the roasted pineapple from the raclette grill.
- Rhubarb: tangy, unusual, worth a try.
Indulgent ice creams
- Vanilla: the base of every hot-and-cold dessert.
- Salted butter caramel: with roasted apples.
- Dark chocolate: intense, in a small portion.
- Coffee: doubles as dessert and coffee at the same time.
- Pistachio: the favourite of many food lovers.
- Hazelnut or praline: crunchy if you add some chopped nuts.
- Nougat: honey and almonds.
- Rum and raisin: for grown-ups only.
- Marron glacé: very wintry.
- Stracciatella: vanilla with chocolate shavings.
Winter and spice flavours
- Gingerbread: the taste of Christmas.
- Cinnamon: with a warm apple tart.
- Speculoos (Biscoff): biscuity and caramelised.
- Honey: ideally mountain honey.
- Chestnut: the flavour of the Alps and the Cévennes.
- Matcha tea: slightly bitter, surprising.
- Earl Grey: fragrant with bergamot.
- Mint choc chip: the “after dinner” flavour par excellence.
Fresh dairy
- Yoghurt: tangy and light.
- Fromage frais: with a berry coulis.
- Buttermilk: for the curious.
- Crème fraîche: with pan-fried fruit.
Sorbets for grown-ups
- Apple and calvados sorbet: the famous “trou normand” (literally the “Norman hole”), traditionally served in the middle of a long meal, supposedly to make room for more.
- Lemon and vodka sorbet: the “coupe Colonel” of French brasseries.
- Pear sorbet with pear eau-de-vie: a nod to Alpine digestifs, see our digestifs aisle.
These three contain alcohol: not for children or pregnant women, and in moderation for everyone else.
Our sundae and hot-and-cold ideas (editor’s opinion)
- Raclette grill hot-and-cold: roasted fruit in a pan and a scoop of vanilla, see our sweet raclette with ice cream.
- Affogato: a scoop of vanilla drowned in an espresso.
- Late-winter sundae: pear sorbet, poached pear, hot chocolate sauce.
- Alpine sundae: honey ice cream, blueberries, crushed meringue.
- Citrus duo: lemon sorbet and blood orange sorbet, fresh zest.
Take the tubs out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving: the scoops will be easier to make and more flavourful.
The other desserts in the pantry
Find all our desserts: raclette grill desserts, the best fruit and creams and spoon desserts. Back to the pantry.
Frequently asked questions
Which frozen dessert should you serve after raclette?
In our opinion, a tangy sorbet (lemon, blackcurrant, pear, citrus): it refreshes after the cheese. A small scoop of spiced ice cream also works over the festive season.
What’s the difference between ice cream and sorbet?
Sorbet is made with fruit, sugar and water, without dairy. Ice cream contains milk or cream.
What is a trou normand?
It’s a sorbet laced with calvados, traditionally served in the middle of a long meal in Normandy. It contains alcohol, so enjoy it in moderation.
