May 31, 2022

cantaloupe mint sorbet

mint season

Cantaloupe mint sorbet tastes like summer and is a refreshing treat for a hot day. Sorbet is a blend of fruit and simple syrup and could not be easier to make, though does require an ice cream maker (I have this one from Cuisinart).

Last August my partner came home from work with 7 cantaloupes harvested from an agricultural extension field trial. We ate a cantaloupe a day, but by day 5 we couldn’t eat another one. We cut up and froze the remaining melons, unsure what we would do with so much frozen cantaloupe. Inspiration finally came to me this spring, as the spearmint was popping back up in the garden- cantaloupe mint sorbet!

tips to make the best cantaloupe mint sorbet

Most of your sorbet’s flavor will come from the fruit, so use the best tasting fruit you can get: in-season fruit at its peak ripeness or a high quality frozen fruit
Use a little more sugar than you think you need. Freezing dulls sweet flavors, so you want to make your sorbet mixture a little sweeter than you want before freezing
Sugar is also needed to produce the right texture of the sorbet. The easiest way to test if you have the right amount of sugar is the egg test. Lower an egg (still in its shell) in your pureed fruit as you add the sugar. When the egg starts to float in your base and you see a patch of the egg above the surface of your puree, you have the right amount of sugar.
Have fun with flavor! Make it your own by trying different herb-infused simple syrups, a combination of fruits, or a splash of liquor

Print Pin Recipe

cantaloupe mint sorbet

Cantaloupe mint sorbet tastes like summer and is a refreshing treat for a hot day. Sorbet is a blend of fruit and simple syrup and could not be easier to make, though does require an ice cream maker

Course: Dessert

Servings: 1 quart

Author: Beet Season

Equipment

ice cream maker

Ingredients

2 lbs cantaloupe (4-5 cups after prepping and cubing) thaw if using frozen
1 c sugar
1 c water
1 handful fresh spearmint
2-3 tbsp lime juice
1 large egg in it's shell washed and dried

Instructions

If needed put your ice cream maker base in the freezer a day before you make the sorbet.
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from heat, add the mint, and cover. Let the mint infuse until the simple syrup is cool. Then remove and compost the mint.
Add cubbed cantaloupe to a blender along with ½ c of simple syrup. Blend until the fruit is fully liquified. Transfer sorbet base to a large mixing bowl.
Test the sugar level by gently lowering the egg (still in its shell) into the sorbet base. You have the right amount of sugar if the egg floats and a nickel-sized amount of the shell is visible above the surface of the puree. If the egg isn't floating or you don't see enough shell, add a bit more simple syrup, stir, and test again with the egg. If you see too much of the shell, add a splash of water or fruit juice, stir, and test with the egg again.
When you have the right amount of sugar, remove the egg. Stir in 2 tbsp of the lime juice, taste, and add the remaining 1 tbsp if needed.
Chill the sorbet base in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
Once the base is very cold, pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instruction. Transfer sorbet to freezer containers and freeze at least 4 hours before serving.