Cantaloupe Italian Ice Recipes

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.

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.

HOMEMADE CANTALOUPE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Chop cantaloupe in a food processor to desired consistency.
• Mix 1 cup of milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla until all sugar is dissolved. Add chopped cantaloupe and rest of milk to the mixture.
• Pour the ice cream mixture into a 1.5-quart ice cream maker, according to manufacturer directions. Let mix until thickened (about 15-20 minutes).
• Serve immediately, or transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze until more solid.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Remove the cantaloupe seeds and scoop out all the flesh into a blender.
• Blend the cantaloupe, water, and sugar together till they're fully combined into a smoothie consistency.
• Freeze the granita for at least two hours or until it is icy and holding shape. Once an hour, check the granita and break it up with a fork, this will help it from freezing into a block.
• If your granita freezes into a block, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and then break it up with a fork.
• Serve the granita at a slightly slushy consistency.

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.

GIULIANO HAZAN'S CANTALOUPE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Cut the melon into chunks about one inch thick.
• Put the melon chunks, the sugar and the water into a blender and puree until liquified. If using a food processor, put the melon and sugar in first and add the water after the melon is pureed completely.
• Whip the cream until it is about the density of sour cream. Add the cream to the pureed melon and stir well. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour.
• When it is quite cold, pour the melon mixture into an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions. When done, the ice cream will be rather soft but ready to eat just the same. If you like it firmer, put it in a container with a tight-sealing lid and leave it in the freezer for three or four hours. If preparing it much longer in advance, let it soften in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.

CANTALOUPE 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.
• 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.

ITALIAN WATER ICE - FRESH PEACH

Steps:

• Puree peaches in blender with lemon juice.
• Boil water and sugar together for 5 minutes.
• Cool.
• Stir in juice and peel.
• Pour into shallow bowl and put in freezer.
• As it starts to freeze, keep stirring the outside crystals into the center and mix in peel.
• Do about every half hour -MUST DO!.
• When real slushy, stop and freeze overnight.
• To serve, you must scrape very thin layers of the slush off the top.
• I use a big spoon with sharp edges moving it sideways.

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.