Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet

This watermelon lemonade sorbet has all of the flavors of a childhood summer... ripe and juicy watermelon, and sweet and tart lemonade.

This watermelon lemon sorbet is icy and tart/sweet, and totally refreshing. It's wonderful scooped into a bowl and eaten with abandon in this hot and humid weather.

Watermelon, is, well, full of water, so it's a bit tricky to make it into a sorbet. I experimented with a few combinations, including some with added yogurt or cream, some that were more like a granita, but each time the sorbet turned into a solid rock. I finally settled on this recipe, which includes corn syrup and a 1/2 cup of sugar. These ingredients seemed to keep the sorbet from turning into a block of ice. This recipe does freeze pretty solid, but not so solid that it is not scoop-able.

I made this watermelon lemonade sorbet twice, the second time adding three tablespoons of white wine, which seemed to prevent the sorbet from overly freezing even more.

I kept the no alcohol version for the kids and the wine-added version for the adults. Either way, this sorbet was a huge hit. Both my kids and grandkids stop by often to find out what I've been making lately, and everyone asked if I still had "some of that watermelon ice cream stuff."

It's been hotter than ever around here, so this "watermelon ice cream stuff" really hit the spot. We also enjoyed a scoop spooned into a glass with rosé to make a wine slushy, and a big scoop added to a margarita with a pinch of salt. So good. Along the way, while playing with the watermelon, I also froze some watermelon puree in an ice cube tray and used them for both lemonade and cocktails with excellent results!

I used this Cuisinart ice cream freezer to make this sorbet. I keep the insert in the freezer for whenever I have an ice cream emergency.

By the way, if you want this sorbet to look really "watermelon-y," just drop in a few mini chocolate chips. The kids will love it.

If you have any leftover watermelon, be sure to try this Greek-style watermelon and tomato salad or this Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime. They are so refreshing.

Thanks so much to Carol of From a Chef's Kitchen for choosing the theme "Wonderful Watermelon" for this month's Progressive Eats. After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the Progressive Eats recipes using watermelon. Pretty much an entire meal using wonderful watermelon!

sorbet, watermelon, lemonade

dessert, ice cream, sorbet

American

Yield: 1 quartAuthor: Karen

Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet

ingredients

• 4 cups of 1 inch cubes of  watermelon, seeds removed 
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons white wine or sparkling wine (optional)

instructions

1. Puree the watermelon cubes in a food processor and measure out 2 1/2 cups of the puree and transfer it to a medium bowl. 
2. Fill a large bowl with ice water for chilling the sorbet mixture. Place the container in which you want to store the sorbet into the freezer to chill. 
3. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Whisk it into the pureed the watermelon. Add the optional wine. 
4. Pour the mixture into a one gallon zip lock bag. Seal the bag and place the mixture into the ice bath. Let sit for 30 minutes. 
5. Pour the mixture into your ice cream freezer and spin for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the mixture is icy and fluffy. Pour the mixture into the previously frozen container, cover, and place in the freezer for 4 to 12 hours until firm. I recommend stirring the mixture at about the 3 hour mark and returning it to the freezer. 

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/07/watermelon-lemonade-sorbet.html

Recipe adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Wonderful Watermelon!

Appetizers

• Honey and Lime Melon Skewers with Mint - The Wimpy Vegetarian

Salads

• Watermelon Salad with Toasted Pecans and Gorgonzola Cheese - Creative Culinary
• Watermelon and Burrata Salad - The Redhead Baker

Main Courses

• Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Watermelon - Tomato Salsa - From A Chef’s Kitchen
• Grilled Watermelon Scallop Shish Kabobs - Mother Would Know

Side Dishes

• Wazpacho AKA Watermelon Gazpacho - That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Desserts

• Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet - Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features Watermelon and our host this month is Carol who blogs at From A Chef's Kitchen.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious summer dishes!