Melon Sorbet

Please welcome Garrett McCord, who came by the other day to make these melon sorbets. So good! Refreshing on a hot summer day. ~Elise

Melons are one of those rare ingredients that are practically perfect as is. While they do take well to being tarted up a bit (maybe a light dusting of salt, few lashings of lemon juice, or some chopped mint), they certainly don’t need to be overdressed. No, with melons like cantaloupe and honeydew you want to preserve and highlight their sweet, musky flavors.

These recipes does little more than simply purée and churn these summer fruits into refreshing sorbets bursting with melon flavor. The cantaloupe sorbet is highlighted with citrus, and the honeydew sorbet is engaged with a simple syrup steeped with fresh mint. Cheap and easy to create, these sorbets are delightful on their own or served with fresh blackberries, and they’re a perfect palate cleansing course for a summer dinner party.

Melon Sorbet Recipe

• Yield: Each recipe makes approximately 1 quart.

Ingredients

Cantaloupe Sorbet

• 5 cups of diced cantaloupe (about 2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup of lemon or lime juice
• Pinch of salt

Honeydew Sorbet

• 5 cups of diced honeydew (about 2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
• 1/2 cup of mint leaves, well packed
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Method

1 To prepare the melons, cut them open and scoop out the strings and seeds and discard them. Carefully cut off the rind and discard that as well. Cut up the melon and place into a blender or food processor and purée well until smooth and soupy. Set aside in a bowl.

2 Make a simple syrup by placing the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture has come to boil. Remove from heat. Add the mint (if using) and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain out the lemon zest (and mint if using).

3 Combine the simple syrup, citrus juice, corn syrup, and salt with the puréed melon. Stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill completely in a refrigerator. (Chill for several hours or overnight.)

4 Process in an ice cream machine via the manufacturer's instructions. The sorbet will have a soft texture right out of the ice cream maker. If you would like a firmer consistency, transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and place in a freezer for an hour or two. Once frozen, you may need to let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature to soften before serving.

*Note: Muskmelon, Canary melon, or any other type of melon can be used in these recipes. Watermelons may work too, but I haven't tested it with these recipes.

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