Cantaloupe Sorbet

Independence Day is just around the corner.  Grills will be lit and people around the country will enjoy the company of friends and family while biting down on hamburgers and hot dogs, potato salad, and other classic American recipes.  What are your plans for the holiday weekend?  Watching the fireworks?

During my childhood, my family and neighbors would get together and travel to a local church to watch the fireworks.  The church had a large plot of land that was across the street from where the fireworks were ignited.  There was plenty of room to run around and play with sparklers, and the view was spectacular.  Every year we would brave the crowds to see the sparkles in the sky.  And every year the tree line between us and the fireworks grew taller.  As the trees grew, the kids grew older, and we became less interested in fireworks and more interested in hanging out with friends.  It was only in college, when I began missing the nostalgia of home, that I was interested in watching the fireworks once again.  I came home a few summers and watched from a spot near the fireworks field.  It was not quite the same, but each boom and burst of fire continued to make me smile. 

This year, I plan to stay home in New Orleans and have a small picnic with my husband and maybe a few friends.  We will probably grill and some pretzel salad may be in order. And later we will head to the Riverfront to watch the fireworks and I will once again be reminded of the memories of home.

To celebrate Independence Day, I wanted to make a scoop that reminded me of summer.  Nothing reminds me of summer more than taking a juicy bite of candy-sweet cantaloupe.  Stick some bright orange pieces in a big bowl with dollop of whipped topping and I am good to go.  Dare I say, I would eat this over ice cream?  Maybe.  But why not have the best of both worlds? 

Cantaloupe sorbet is simple to make and offers the same taste as biting into a fresh piece of melon, only colder.  Lime adds a subtle tartness to this sorbet.  Perfect for a hot summer day!  Enjoy!

Cantaloupe Sorbet

If you have another preferred summer melon, such as honeydew, it could be easily substituted in this recipe.  Watermelon would also work, but the sorbet may be more icey given the higher water content. This sorbet is best enjoyed shortly after removing from ice cream maker.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (see note)
1/4 cup water
One small ripe cantaloupe (the sweeter the better, about 3 cups pureed)
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons gin

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water is a small saucepan and place over moderate heat.  Bring mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves (a couple minutes).  Remove from heat.  Pour into a small container and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, clean and cube cantaloupe.  Place in a blender and puree until smooth.  Stir in sugar syrup (once cooled) and lime juice.  Pulse to combine.   Stir in gin. 

Cover and place in refrigerator to fully chill, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Place plastic or parchment over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Note: Corn syrup is used in this recipe to improve texture (corn syrup has a higher viscosity than sugar so it freezes differently). I use it in very small amounts, but if you are still concerned you could increase the sugar content in the recipes by about 25% too to increase viscosity. I have also substituted brown rice syrup several times with good results.