Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 3/4 pounds firm-ripe apricots (about 7 large)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• Garnish: toasted sliced almonds
• Special equipment: an ice cream maker

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bring sugar, water, and dried apricots to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand until apricots are softened, about 1 hour.
3. While dried apricots are standing, roast whole fresh apricots in a small roasting pan in middle of oven until soft, about 1 hour. Cool in pan, and pit when cool enough to handle.
4. Puree dried apricot mixture, roasted apricots, lemon juice, and almond extract in a blender until very smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Force puree through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them. Chill puree, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
5. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container, and put in freezer to harden.
6. Cook's note: Puree can be chilled up to 8 hours. Sorbet keeps 1 week.