Juicy Watermelon Sorbet Recipe

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Watermelon, a classic summer fruit, is great on its own, but turning it into scoopable sorbet form takes it to a whole other level. This juicy watermelon sorbet recipe is effortlessly delicious and easy to throw together. Having a cold dessert ready in the freezer is the answer to on-the-spot summer entertaining, a mid-day pick me up, and slow weekends, and once this watermelon sorbet is adequately frozen, it's yours for the scooping. It all starts with the watermelon, which is frozen before being blended with a few other ingredients to achieve that smooth initial consistency. A little patience is all you'll need at that point as the sorbet chills in the freezer, and then it's smooth, sweet scooping from there.

The other nice thing about this sorbet recipe is that it's adaptable to your tastes. You can add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you want it, and there are no limits on the toppings you can add to make it your own. You can even set up a sorbet bar with fun mix-ins for your guests to enjoy.

To make this recipe, start by picking up a seedless watermelon. You'll want to pick one that is fresh and at it's peak. To save time, buying pre-cut watermelon will help, and depending how big the chunks are, you may need to trim the pieces down. Then you'll need granulated sugar to make simple syrup, salt, and two limes. Pick limes that are soft and have some give, as those will be the juiciest.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Spread the watermelon cubes onto a lined baking tray in a single layer.

Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, or until fully firm.

About 30 minutes before you are ready to blend the frozen watermelon, add the sugar and ¼ cup water to a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir for about 5 minutes, until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid looks clear.

Pour the simple syrup into a separate container to cool for 30 minutes.

Add the frozen watermelon, simple syrup, juice of 2 limes, and salt to a food processor.

Blend for about 5-8 minutes, until the sorbet looks smooth and evenly pink with no large fruit chunks left. It should look like a soft scoop texture at this stage.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish

Cover and freeze the sorbet for 2 to 3 hours.

Once set, let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping so it softens slightly.

Garnish with lime zest and optional mint before serving.

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There are several ways to change up this recipe, whether you want to use different fruit or just tweak the watermelon flavor. To start, instead of watermelon, you can use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mango. If using fruit that is already frozen, you can skip steps 1-3. Instead of using granulated sugar, you can use brown sugar or coconut sugar. It will darken the color of the sorbet, but the sweetness will remain. Instead of making the simple syrup, using honey or maple syrup will add sweetness with a little more depth. Instead of the lime juice, other citrus juices like lemon or orange would work well.

Different toppings are a fun way to switch up dessert. A simple topping is flaky sea salt, which provides each bite with a sweet-salty flavor profile. A drizzle of honey is a delicious finish to the sorbet, or even a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Fresh berries make a nice presentation with the sorbet. Try sliced strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. In lieu of a fresh mint garnish, fresh basil leaves also make for a great herby garnish.

When cutting the watermelon, make sure to chop the chunks all the same size. If you have strong food processor, it will have no problem breaking down the fruit, but big, uneven chunks could draw the process out a bit. When you are blending the chunks, start with about 10-15 pulses to break down the pieces. Then let the processor blend, stopping every few minutes to scrape down the sides. If you are short on time, to speed up the cooling of the simple syrup, cover it, and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

After transferring the sorbet mixture into the baking dish, make sure it is level in the freezer, so the sorbet sets evenly. After freezing, the sorbet will be very hard, and once it loosens for 5-10 minutes you can try scooping. If it still seems too hard, run the ice cream scoop under warm water. The sorbet will last for up to 2 weeks if kept in an airtight container in the freezer.

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