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Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 cups pureed watermelon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp vodka (optional)
Method:
1. Combine sugar, water and syrup in
a saucepan.
2. Stir until it boils.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Let cool. Refrigerate until cold.
5. Scoop out the red, ripe watermelon
flesh. Puree in a blender.
6. Add watermelon puree and lemon juice
to the cold sugar, water, syrup mixture.
7. Add vodka if using.
8. Pour into an ice cream maker and
process for 20-30 minute or until desired
consistency. Likewise freeze in a 9x13
pan and stir about every 10 minutes
until desired consistency.
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There’s
more than one way to beat the heat. Making sorbet
is a step up from the Popsicles of our youth but
just as tasty. Basically just frozen fruit puree
and a simple syrup, it’s refreshing, sweet
and easy! When I came across this little gem of
a recipe, I had to give it a try. And another and
another… it was just that good! Of course,
after going through numerous watermelons, it dawned
on me that this is a pretty basic recipe and I could
probably use any fruit puree in place of the watermelon.
Ah Ha! My first variation was raspberry, which turned
out a little seedy until I strained the little buggers
out. Then, it was pure heaven. Pints and pints of
strawberries and blueberries later, I realized that,
yes indeed, almost any fruit can be substituted
for the beloved watermelon. And, better than that,
if you want to skip the whole process of pureeing
the fruit, juices work just as well, opening up
such treats as cranberries, pomegranates and a lemon-lime
combo. Don’t you just love it when a plan
comes together?
The trick is
to balance the simple syrup with the juice so the
ice crystals stay small and are gentle and sweet.
The sugar content keeps the sorbet from getting
rock hard, and if you choose to add the vodka, it
is extra insurance. Of course, if something goes
astray, you can always serve it as a granita, which
is a close cousin of sorbet with larger, icier crystals.
Sorbets are easiest
and most consistent when made using an ice cream
maker, hand-cranked or electric. All you have to
do is make and cool the syrup, add the puree and
other flavorings, then pour it all into the machine
to churn and churn until you have a smooth, tasty
treat. You can get a model with a removable mixing
bowl, which you can keep in your freezer until ready
to use, or an electric version in which the mixture
is cooled in-house, ready to go whenever you are.
The nice thing about the latter is that you can
make multiple batches without waiting for the bowl
to re-chill.
If you choose
to forgo the ice cream maker, sorbet can be made
in a 9x13 pan in the freezer, stirring often until
a desired consistency. It will produce larger crystals
but will be just as tasty, or so my research has
shown.
For another tasty
variation try the Watermelon Granita that is featured
in this months featured book Cool
Food. Eat Well and Be Safe!!
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