A summer dessert of Palermo made by thickening watermelon juice with starch, traditionally flavored with cinnamon and garnished with chocolate and pistachios. Serve it with cold sparkling wine.
Gelo di Melone (Sicilian Watermelon Pudding)
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A Sicilian summer spoon dessert made by thickening watermelon juice with cornstarch and flavoring it with cinnamon. It is chilled in small cups and garnished with chocolate and pistachios. Makes 6 cups in about 4 hr 35 min.
Prep
25 min
Cook
10 min
Cooling
4 hr
Total
4 hr 35 min
Servings
6
Diet
Gluten free
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
- 3 ⅓ cups (800 ml)strained watermelon juice, from about 1.5 kg of seedless watermelon
- ⅔ cup (120 g)granulated sugar
- ½ cup (65 g)cornstarch
- ¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon, for the pudding
- 3 tbsp (30 g)dark chocolate chips
- 2 ½ tbsp (20 g)pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 pinchground cinnamon, for dusting, for the to finish
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Instructions
- Blend the watermelon flesh until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve; you want 800 ml of clear juice.
- Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan, then whisk in the juice a little at a time until there are no lumps.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until thick and bubbling, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cook 1 minute more.
- Off the heat, stir in the cinnamon. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the chocolate chips so they stay in pieces.
- Pour into six small cups or molds and cool, then chill at least 4 hours until firmly set.
- Garnish with pistachios and a light dusting of cinnamon just before serving.
Tips
- Strain well; pulp makes the pudding grainy.
- Let the pudding cool slightly before adding chocolate so it does not melt completely.
- For a floral touch, steep a few jasmine flowers in the juice while cooking and remove them before cooling.
- Good with cold sparkling wine.
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Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make gelo di melone (sicilian watermelon pudding)?
Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours to chill. The recipe makes 6 cups (6 servings).
How should I store gelo di melone (sicilian watermelon pudding)?
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days; do not freeze.
Can I make gelo di melone (sicilian watermelon pudding) ahead?
Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.
182
Calories / serving
1.8g
Fat
42.0g
Carbs
1.6g
Protein
29.3g
Sugar
Whole recipe (6 servings): ~1092 cal · 11g fat · 252g carbs · 10g protein · 176g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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