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1
To make the sorbet, in a medium saucepan, combine the nectarine slices and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the nectarines are soft and tender, about 10 minutes.
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2
Add the 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
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3
Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
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4
Puree the nectarines with their cooking liquid in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender.
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5
Pour the puree into a medium bowl, taste, and add lemon juice or kirsch to your liking.
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6
Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
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7
Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturers instructions.
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8
To make the cookie cups, preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
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9
Butter 2 baking sheets, dust the baking sheets with flour, and tap off any excess.
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10
(You can line the baking sheets with parchment paper instead, but the cookies wont come off as easily.)
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11
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, star anise, and Szechuan pepper.
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12
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter and 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
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13
Beat in the egg whites one at a time, then stir in the flour mixture.
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14
Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter in a mound for each cookie; allow only 3 per baking sheet and space them evenly apart.
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15
Using an offset metal spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the mounds into 6-inch (15-cm) circles as evenly as possible.
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16
Have ready 3 overturned custard cups or tea cups.
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17
Bake one baking sheet at a time until the cookies are lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
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18
Remove from the oven and, using a thin metal spatula, quickly lift each cookie off the baking sheet and drape it over an overturned cup.
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19
Immediately mold the cookie around the cup using your hands.
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20
(If the cookies cool and harden before you can shape them all, resoften them by warming in the oven for 30 to 45 seconds.)
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21
Let the cookies cool on the cups.
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22
Once firm enough to handle, lift the cookies off the cups and set on a wire rack to crisp.
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23
Repeat with the second baking sheet.
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24
To prepare the blackberries, in a medium skillet, boil the plum wine until reduced by about one-third.
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25
Add the blackberries and 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar, decrease the heat to low, and cook until the berries soften and the juices become thick and syrupy.
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26
Remove from the heat and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
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27
To serve, center a cookie cup on each of 6 individual plates.
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28
Fill with 2 or 3 scoops of sorbet, then spoon some of the berries and their syrup over and around the sorbet.
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29
Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds or sesame seeds.
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30
The batter for the cookie cups can be prepared up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated.
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31
The cookie cups can be baked 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
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32
The blackberries can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; they actually benefit from being made in advance.
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33
Yellow nectarines can be used in place of white nectarines.
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34
You can substitute 1 tablespoon premixed store-bought five-spice powder in place of the spice mixture Ive suggested.
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35
Asian grocery stores and well-stocked supermarkets carry plum wine.
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36
If unavailable, you can substitute white or rose wine.
