Watermelon Sorbetto

 

Summer sneaked up on us. . late-April was deceptive with it's sudden stormy showers and cool evening breezes. For a while we grew complacent, duped ourselves into believing these mild days were here to stay. But then, just like that, the nip in the air was gone. Now early mornings are often motionless, hot. By noon the sun is glaring and the heat stifling. 

Soon appetites will begin waning and the kids will beg for things that are cool and scoop-able. The best way to indulge my children's summer dreams: this delicious sorbetto. 

The sorbetto is made with fresh watermelon juice and a whisper of lime to add a hint of tartness. The amount of sweetness is just right and does not overpower the fruit's natural flavor. David Lebovitz recommends throwing in some mini-chocolate chips for fun (to mimic watermelon seeds). I've never done this but maybe I will the next time I make a batch. Personally, I don't think it needs any chocolate: there couldn't be a simpler, more delicious dessert to round off your meal.

This sorbet is best made in an ice cream maker, but I often skip that step and freeze the mixture directly in popsicle molds. The recipe can be found on Page 112 of The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, or because I am too lazy to type it out you can find it here.

Mango Cheesecake Ice Cream

Hello, Summer...

I've been missing from this space for months. It seems that writing dissertations takes up a lot of time. Even when there is lots of procrastination involved. In an ideal world I'd be telling you about the many, many new recipes I tested during this time. But not today. 

Looking through my archives I came across this photo from the end of summer last year. It was meant to make its' way into a post but somehow never did. How lucky to have found it now since it gave me a chance to do some more digging and come up with the recipe for this luscious ice cream. 

I first came across it when I was searching for ways to use up a large tub of Labneh (yogurt cheese) in my fridge. I had halved the recipe since I was skeptical and was in no way prepared for how delicious it was going to be. The addition of yogurt adds a smooth, rich flavor similar to cream cheese but contains far less fat making this a less guilty summery treat. I adapted the original recipe only in that I used  pureéd mangoes instead of strawberries. But having made it with both mangoes & strawberries and then just plain, without fruit pureé, we love all three versions equally well chez moi. 

I've got a batch already chilling in my fridge, ready to be churned. Meanwhile here's the recipe because I know you'll want to try it: 

Mango Cheesecake Ice Cream 

adapted from the recipe here

7.5 ounces (about 1 cup) Labneh or yogurt cheese (recipe here)

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 whole milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup mango pureé

In a stand mixer, beat the cheese and sugar till smooth (around 2 minutes).

Add in the milk and cream and continue beating on medium till smooth. Mix in lemon juice and salt. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Churn in ice-cream maker, freeze at least 2 hours. 

Mango Pureé  :

1.5 Lb chopped, fresh mango

1/4 cup sugar (use more if your mangoes are not sweet)

Pureé the fruit and sugar together. Chill in fridge till ready to use. 

To assemble:

Add a thin layer of pureé on the bottom of your ice-cream container. Top with a third of your ice cream and gently swirl with a spoon. Repeat layers and swirl, ending with a layer of ice cream. 

Baking With Dorie: Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

Last month all of us in the BWD baking group mutually decided that we needed to adopt a slower pace and bake only once a month instead of every other Monday. For those of us who are trying to cut back on desserts, this is a welcome change! 

I made changes to our baking schedule but I forgot to fix a typing error I'd made when listing this months' recipe. This resulted in a little confusion since I had typed 'strawberry rhubarb crisp' and everyone else in the group either baked the strawberry rhubarb double crisp, or planned for it. So this week we have two different recipes, depending on who baked what. 

I baked the cherry cobbler, replacing rhubarb with granny smith apples since I can't find rhubarb where I live. I made it in advance & we were travelling the next day so I did the math and made just 1/4th of the recipe. This was perfect because it made only two servings. And the cobbler was wonderful - as usual I loved the note of flavor that the addition of ginger lent to this dessert. The tartness of the apples married well with & was subdued by the sweetness from the cherries and both were cooked to flawless deliciousness under the little balls of whole wheat biscuit dough. 

Please head here to find links to what all the other BWD bakers made this week. For the recipe, go over to Ryans' blog The Behr Necessities, or Page 415 of Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. 

Next up we're baking Creme Brulee. If you'd like to join our baking challenges please drop me an email at needfulthings at ymail dot com. We'd love to have you bake along with us!