Cantaloupe Italian Ice Recipes

CANTALOUPE ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Place a 7x12-inch glass dish in the freezer to chill.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Add mint, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• Place melon in a food processor and process until pureed; pour into a bowl. Strain mint leaves from cooled syrup and add syrup to the melon. Stir until well combined.
• Pour cantaloupe mixture into the chilled dish and freeze uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, stirring with a fork every 30 minutes. Continue until mixture is almost frozen and a bit grainy; don't let it freeze completely, otherwise you won't be able to serve it.
• Place in a decorative bowl and garnish with mint leaves.

ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Combine the syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and mint in a small pitcher. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
• Shave the ice by placing 2 to 3 cups crushed ice at a time in a food processor and running the machine until the ice is finely shaved. Store shaved ice in a large re-sealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 1 day.
• Place 1 1/2 cups of crushed ice in a serving dish. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of the syrup mixture over the ice. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Blend the fruit, sugar, honey and lemon juice with 2 cups ice in a food processor or blender until chunky. Add another 1 cup ice and blend until completely smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish and freeze 30 minutes. Scrape the ice with a fork until slushy, then freeze until firm, about 2 more hours. Scoop into paper cups.

CANTALOUPE GELATO

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan heat sugar and water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup. Cut rind from melon and discard seeds. Cut melon into chunks and in a food processor purée enough to measure 2 cups. Transfer purée to a bowl and stir in syrup and lemon juice. Chill melon mixture until cold and up to 1 day.
• Stir in egg white and freeze in an ice-cream maker. Serve gelato immediately or transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden no more than 3 hours.

CANTALOUPE GRAPPA SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang at each end. Purée melon with 1/3 cup sugar, grappa, grenadine (if using), and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to large metal bowl and stir in yolks. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with mixer until pale, thick, and tripled in volume and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 minutes.
• Remove bowl from saucepan and set in a large ice bath. Continue to beat until cold, about 6 minutes.
• Beat cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in other large bowl using cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into cantaloupe mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into pan and freeze, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until firm, at least 5 hours. Uncover top and invert semifreddo onto a plate.

CANTALOUPE SORBET

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a small bowl; refrigerate until chilled., Place the cantaloupe, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a food processor; cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until blended., Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a freezer container; freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

CANTALOUPE ICE POPS

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine the first 5 ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Pour 1/4 cup into each cup or mold; insert pop sticks. Freeze until firm.

CANTALOUPE OR ??? ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Dissolve sugar and water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. ( I used less of the water and sugar and cooked off a bit more of the water.) Peel and seed the cantaloupes. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Puree in a food processor. Strain through a medium sieve. Mix strained cantaloupe juice, sugar syrup, and lemon juice with a wire whisk. Pour into an ice cream machine. Add some cantaloupe pulp, if desired. Freeze to a smooth consistency, according to manufacturer's directions. You may wish to place in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator for a few hours to harden. Serve in a dessert glass topped with whipped cream or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. This turned out great with cantaloupe and I can't wait to try with strawberries.