Watermelon Sherbet

Summer has arrived and it is making itself nice and comfy. Are you feeling and loving the heat? I really hope so. After waiting for this weather for many, many, many months, and while I prefer the dry heat of California, this humidity is more welcome than any snowy day. Seriously. I will still be saying this until Autumn creeps in. You people that are already ready for chilly days are nuts. And we cannot be friends.

One of my favorite things about summer? Ice cream. Well, that’s just about my favorite thing anytime, but when it’s 85 degrees with 80% humidity ice cream is the only thing I want in my body. That and summer fruit. And it doesn’t get any summery than watermelon. I could sit and eat an entire watermelon and be perfectly content. I’m pretty sure I have done that too. A few times. So what is more perfect on a summer day than watermelon or ice cream? I know you know is one — I’ve been prepping you for this answer.

Technically, this isn’t ice cream, it’s sherbet, since it’s just milk and watermelon, but it’s definitely delicious. Oh, and I magically turned the seeds into chocolate, so no worries about swallowing them and growing a watermelon in your belly. Oh? Was that just me? Not my fault. My brother told me that could happen. I wasn’t wild about a watermelon baby.

If the heat is getting to you, this is perfect. It tastes just like watermelon, improved by chocolate, but it’s ice cream! Whoa. WHOA.

Watermelon Sherbet
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 ¼ cups watermelon juice (about 1/4 of whole watermelon or 5 cups of pre-chopped watermelon)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 drops red food coloring (optional)

Directions

• To make the watermelon juice, process about 5 cups of seeded, chopped watermelon in a food processor until pureed. Strain puree through a sieve catching watermelon juice in a bowl until required amount is reached.
• In a food processor, combine sugar, salt and lime juice. Pulse until the sugar looks like wet sand; about 6 times. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the watermelon juice. Process for about 1 minute to ensure that the sugar has been dissolved. Strain the liquid through a sieve, pour liquid into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 1 hour. The mixture should be very cold but not frozen.
• In a chilled bowl, whisk heavy cream until it reaches the soft peak stage. Slowly pour the cold watermelon liquid into the cream while continuously whisking. Add in the food coloring if using. I used it to make it look more like watermelon because the cream lightens up the color dramatically. Immediately pour into an ice cream maker and churn for about 30 minutes, or until it’s the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
• Pour sherbet into a container, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!