Watermelon is one of the summer’s greatest pleasures. For my family, enjoying watermelon while sitting outside around our picnic table or on the back porch was a real pleasure. We would grab thick wedges of melon with the rind on, which made it much easier to hold onto. We would devour the bright pink fruit until we could not eat another piece, watermelon juices dribbled down our chins, which made the smiles on our faces sticky and pink and most satisfied. When I was a child, my father grew ‘Sweet Beauty’ melons in his large garden. We would always have our eye on the biggest melon in the garden and we watched it grow daily from an egg-sized oval to a monster melon. When the melon was perfectly ripe, the neighbourhood children were invited over to share the summer delicacy. It was so heavy that Dad would carry it to our rustic old table using a wheelbarrow. What a feast we had! Whenever I see watermelons today, my mind races through all those wonderful childhood memories of friends and family.

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Over my career, I have made watermelon granita; watermelon and lime sorbet, and many litres of melon infused water and other similar treats. Watermelon is quite tricky to use in desserts because of the high water content. The flavour and colour can easily be compromised if overheated. So, when I read about an intriguing dessert called Watermelon Gelée by Chef Eddy Van Damme, I wanted to experiment with it! Watermelon Gelée is a gelatine set dessert using the juice of a watermelon. The vivid pink hue is further enhanced by the addition of raspberry liqueur. A very interesting option to consider as a garnish for the dessert is the use of tapioca pearls tinted with raspberry puree. Watermelon Gelée is refreshingly fun to make and gives you a flavourful alternative when serving watermelon this summer. You need to try this!  You will enjoy it.

Watermelon Gelée

CHEF TALK: You will need a juicer to extract the watermelon juice, or alternatively, puree chunks of watermelon in a food processor and press the juice through a strainer to obtain 4 cups/1000 ml. Allow the juice to sit for a few minutes to settle and then remove any foam from the top of the juice. This is a very light and refreshing gelatine set dessert, which is also gluten-free. I have adapted this recipe from Chef Eddy Van Damme. This recipe was made using gelatine powder. If using gelatine sheets, 10 sheets/leaves are required – please follow the directions on the package (i.e.: soaking in cold water 10 minutes, squeezing sheets of excess water, warming to dissolve, etc).

Yield:  6 – 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups (32 oz./1000 ml) watermelon juice (juiced from ½ of a medium-large watermelon)
• 6 tablespoons (3 oz./90 g) extra fine granulated sugar (berry sugar)
• 4 envelopes (1 oz./30 g) gelatine powder
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 oz./45 ml) raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord

METHOD:

1. Prepare the desired gelatine mold by lining it with plastic wrap.
   CHEF TIP: Plastic wrap is easier to press into the mold if you wet the container first. Place the plastic wrap inside the mold and slide the plastic wrap in place and into the corners with your fingers to remove any wrinkles. Using the plastic wrap makes it much easier to unmold the dessert later.
2. Place one-quarter of the watermelon juice in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatine powder on top. Stir to ensure that there are no lumps. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes (this is called blooming).
3. Combine the watermelon juice and the sugar in a heatproof medium size bowl. Heat it very gently over a Bain-Marie to about 120⁰F (50⁰C). This is barely lukewarm.  If overheated, the watermelon flavour and colour will be compromised. CHEF TIP: I used a thermometer with a probe (set to an alert of 120^oF) into the bowl of watermelon juice. This took approximately three minutes to reach the required temperature.
4. Pour the warmed juice into the gelatine mixture and stir.  Add the liqueur.
5. Pour into desired mold and place in the refrigerator for several hours.

Strawberry or Raspberry Tapioca Pearls

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup (1 oz./ 30 g) small tapioca pearls (not instant)
• 1 cup (8 oz./ 240 g) water
• ¼ cup (2 oz./60 g) strawberry or raspberry puree
• ¾ cup (6 oz./180 g) water

METHOD:

1. Place the tapioca pearls in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of water. Cover and let sit overnight.
2. Drain the water and place the soaked pearls back into a bowl.  Add the strawberry or raspberry puree and remaining ¾ cup water and place over a Bain-Marie. Heat for about 15-20 minutes on low.  Do not allow the mixture to simmer or boil.
3. When the tapioca pearls are al dente, remove them from the heat and cover. The pearls will obtain more colour as they cool.
4. Once the pearls are cooled, place the amount you want to use as a garnish into a sieve and rinse with water. Use the individual pearls as a garnish when plating the gelatine dessert.

It is interesting to note that watermelon is actually very nutritious. A watermelon is 92% water, hence the name and 6% sugar. The high water content is a very good choice to keep you hydrated, as well as being a very good source of Vitamin C (helps the immune system, eye health and skin), lycopene (may lower the risk of prostate cancer) and beta-carotene (antioxidant, helps with good vision and good immunity). So, enjoy watermelon whenever you can!

What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?

Strawberry or Raspberry Tapioca Pudding

You will have extra strawberry or raspberry tapioca pearls. Sweeten the remainder of the mixture with sugar (to taste) and pour into individual dessert glasses. Cover the tapioca puddings with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. Enjoy as a light gluten-free dessert served with fresh whipped cream and berries.

Watermelon Rind Pickle 

Do not throw the watermelon rind away – you can make a quick delicious crispy pickle in mere minutes!  Find the recipe here.

 

 

LEARNING TIPS: 

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

• Blooming – Gelatine
• Bain-Marie
  __________

For a quick tutorial on How to Cut a Watermelon easily, here is a visual in photographs:

If you try this recipe for Watermelon Gelée, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

 

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You Might Also Enjoy:

Greek Yogurt Lemon and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Strawberry Creams

Coconut Orange Pudding

Raspberry Coulis

Sources:

Chef Eddy Van Damme

Facts about Watermelon

Lycopene

Beta Carotene

Vitamin C