Earl Grey Sorbet with Fresh Berries

In a large saucepan, combine the water and sugar and heat over high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes, then remove the tea bags and refrigerate the syrup until it is well chilled, 1 hour or more. Add the lemon juice and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. When the ice cream is frozen, remove it from the ice cream maker and place in an airtight container in the freezer to ripen for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before serving.

To prepare the garnish: Cut the strawberries into flowers by cutting off the stem end of each berry to form a flat surface. Stand the berries up on the cut end and use a paring knife to cut petals by making small cuts down through the sides of the berries, almost to the base, first around the lower portion, then around the next higher portion, leaving a standing center. Or, the berries may be cut in parallel slices from the tip toward the stem end and fanned out.

To serve: Place a row of strawberries down the center of each dessert plate. Arrange a row of blackberries and blueberries on either side of the strawberries. Place 1 grape leaf on the edge of each plate and add 2 small scoops of the sorbet. Dust confectioner’s sugar over the berries and the plates and serve immediately.