Honeydew Cantaloupe Ice Recipes

HONEYDEW MELON AND CILANTRO ICE POPS

Steps:

• Bring the sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the cilantro and stir until completely wilted. Let cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• Put the melon, lime zest and juice and a pinch of salt in a blender. Strain the cilantro syrup into the blender, pressing the cilantro in the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible; discard the cilantro. Puree the melon mixture until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender partway through if needed. Transfer the mixture to a large liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout.
• Pour the mixture into the molds, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top (the mixture will expand). Insert the sticks. Freeze until solid, 5 hours to overnight. Unmold, and enjoy immediately.

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.

HONEYDEW AND CANTALOUPE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Make the honeydew mousse:
• In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the Midori and let it soften for 1 minute. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved completely and let it cool. In a blender purée the honeydew with the sugar and the lemon juice and with the motor running add the Midori mixture in a stream. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it until it is the consistency of raw egg white. Remove the metal bowl from the ice, stir in the yogurt, and let the honeydew mousse stand while making the cantaloupe mousse.
• Make the cantaloupe mousse:
• Make the cantaloupe mousse: In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the Port and let it soften for 1 minute. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved completely and let it cool. In a blender purée the cantaloupe with the sugar and the lemon juice and with the motor running add the Port mixture in a stream. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it until it is the consistency of raw egg white. Remove the metal bowl from the ice and stir in the yogurt.
• In a 2-quart glass bowl or 8 dessert glasses layer the mousses, chilling them for 5 minutes between each layer, chill the mousse for at least 2 hours or overnight, and garnish it with the melon wedges.

HONEYDEW GRANITA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool., Pulse honeydew, sugar syrup and wine in batches in a food processor until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to an 8-in. square dish. Freeze 1 hour. Stir with a fork. Freeze, stirring every 30 minutes, until frozen, 2-3 hours longer. Stir again with a fork just before serving.

HONEYDEW LIME POPSICLES

Steps:

• Dissolve sugar in water by stirring if using superfine or by heating in a small heavy saucepan if using regular granulated (then cool).
• Blend half of melon and half of lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and remaining melon and lime juice and purée until smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure or bowl, pressing on solids and then discarding them.
• Pour mixture into molds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.
• Insert sticks, then freeze Popsicles until completely hardened, at least 6 hours.

HONEYDEW & CANTALOUPE ICE

Steps:

• Chop honeydew very fine.
• In a medium bowl, mix honeydew and its juice with lime juice and sugar.
• Set aside.
• Chop cantaloupe very fine.
• In another medium bowl, mix with its juice, sugar and orange juice.
• Freeze honeydew and cantaloupe mixtures separately in small containers, ice cube trays or pans.
• When frozen, break into chunks if necessary and shave in ice shaver.
• Serve side by side or layered in a glass for colorful dessert.
• (Can also use watermelon, lemon juice and sugar.).