This 3 ingredient Melon Sorbet is my favorite way to enjoy cantaloupe – simple, delicious and refreshing!!!
If you grew up in India like I did, you might have eaten a lot of musk melon during the summer – looks almost the same as a cantaloupe on the outside, but the interior flesh is more ‘floury’ and white, instead of crunchy and orange.During the terrible South Indian summers, my mother would almost always have a chilled bowl of musk melon in the fridge, sweetened with sugar. You have no idea how heavenly it is, to slurp musk melon on a scorching hot afternoon in June. I would finish my lunch faster to get to the musk melon in th fridge!
After moving to the US, it took me some time to get used to the texture and taste of a cantaloupe – I don’t think I am still completely used to it, but I can now eat it without thinking too much about it, so I guess in my book, that’s progress!
But ‘drinking’ cantaloupe, on the other hand, is my favorite thing to do. I just throw cantaloupe flesh into a blender with some lemon and honey/sugar and blitz until juiced. The crunchy texture (that I have trouble adjusting to) is neutralized in juice form, and feels no different than the musk melon I grew up eating.
Last summer, I juiced a whole cantaloupe as usual, but couldn’t finish it off before having to leave town. So I froze it in ice-cube trays to get to once I returned.
After coming back home, the following morning, I blended the cantaloupe juice-cubes in the hopes of getting them to a slushie consistency, but the idea of a Melon Sorbet felt much, much better instead. So I put the ‘slushie’ back in the freezer, blended it a few more times when it froze, and that’s how I fell in love with the Cantaloupe sorbet!
The sugar is completely optional, of course, but technically, whenever you freeze anything, it looses its sweetness, which is why for ice-creams or popsicles or anything else you serve cold or frozen, you need to make it sweeter than you want your end product to be. The same applies here, and hence the added sugar.
Unlike with my Mango Basil Sorbet (whose thick pulp made sure you didn’t have to process/blend it during the freezing process), the melon sorbet, due to it’s high water content, needs a little extra help. So break it up with a fork, mash it with a spoon, blitz in a blender or churn it in an ice-cream maker – do whatever you need to do to prevent crystallization.
You don’t want it to be crunchy like a granita, but more soft and ‘creamy’ in a way.
Enjoy your delicious Melon Sorbet – a no-dairy alternative to ice-cream, but just as refreshing nonetheless!
When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!
Souzan Karadsheh says
What a fun idea! Perfect for this warm weather.
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Souzan!
michele says
Ive never thought of freezing cantaloupe…. that tip alone just made my whole day! The fact the recipe sounds so tasty too…. just a bonus!
Tina Dawson says
I always freeze melon – super fast slushies!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
The musk melon sounds intriguing and yummy, but this melon sorbet sounds extra delicious! Don’t you love stumbling on a recipe while making something else? I will be trying this soon.
Tina Dawson says
So fun, isn’t it! Hope you like it, Elaine!
Julie says
Oooh, this looks so good. Thanks for the tip on stirring every few hours – I’ve always wound up with very crunchy, granulated sorbet. Clearly I don’t stir mine enough after it goes into the freezer! Can’t wait to try this when the hot summer weather shows up.
Tina Dawson says
The constant stirring breaks up any and all crystals Julie! Good luck!
Luci's Morsels says
This look delicious and so refreshing! I must try this ASAP. Thank you for sharing this! I cannot wait to try this. Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Luci! These won’t disappoint!
Molly Kumar says
The sorbet looks so pretty and easy to make. There is nothing like chilled sorbet in summer days and with just 3 ingredients, I’m sure this will be a crowd pleaser 🙂
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Molly! I don’t know about the crowd, but I was pretty pleased!!
Sara | Belly Rumbles says
We call it rockmelon in Australia. Don’t you love how we all have different names for things! I can imagine you must miss the musk melon, it sounds so different to anything else I have had tried. Your sorbet sounds perfect.
Tina Dawson says
Rock Melon! Whaddya know! How fascinating, isn’t it?? Thanks Sara!