Gelo di Melone

Name: Gelo di Melone
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Siciliana
Ingredients: 1300 g fresh watermelon flesh; 80 g cornflour; 120 g caster sugar; 15 blossoms fresh jasmine flowers; 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon; 40 g dark chocolate drops; 30 g pistachios; 25 g candied pumpkin (zuccata)

A fragrant Sicilian chilled watermelon pudding thickened with starch, delicately scented with jasmine and cinnamon, and garnished with dark chocolate and pistachios.

🇮🇹Italy· Sicily

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 210 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1300 g fresh watermelon flesh — seeded and chopped, to yield 1 litre of strained juice
80 g cornflour — or traditional wheat starch (amido di frumento)
120 g caster sugar — adjust slightly depending on the sweetness of the melon
15 blossoms fresh jasmine flowers — steeped in 50 ml cold water overnight, or use 1 tsp natural orange blossom water
½ tsp Ground cinnamon — plus extra for dusting
40 g dark chocolate drops — roughly chopped to resemble watermelon seeds
30 g pistachios — unsalted, coarsely chopped
25 g candied pumpkin (zuccata) — finely diced

Equipment

•Fine-mesh sieve
•Blender or food processor
•Medium saucepan
•Whisk
•Ramekins or small pudding moulds

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 210 kcal
fat: 4 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 2 g
calories: 210 kcal

Instructions

1
Blend the watermelon flesh in batches until liquid, then pass through a fine sieve to collect 1 litre of clear juice.
2
Whisk the cornflour, caster sugar, and ground cinnamon together in a medium saucepan until evenly combined.
3
Pour in a small ladle of watermelon juice and whisk thoroughly until a smooth paste forms with no lumps.
4
Whisk in the remaining watermelon juice and the strained jasmine water until completely integrated.
5
Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously with a whisk, until the liquid thickens into a glossy cream.
6
Simmer gently for two minutes while stirring constantly until the pudding turns translucent and coats the back of a spoon.
7
Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally so no skin develops.
8
Fold in half of the dark chocolate drops and the diced candied pumpkin just before the pudding begins to set.
9
Pour the mixture into four individual glass bowls or lightly oiled ceramic moulds.
10
Refrigerate for at least six hours, or preferably overnight, until firm and chilled through.
11
Garnish each portion with chopped pistachios, the remaining chocolate drops, a dusting of cinnamon, and fresh jasmine blossoms before serving.

Chef's tips

Wait until the watermelon mixture cools to lukewarm before folding in the chocolate, otherwise the drops will melt and discolour the red pudding. If using freshly picked jasmine flowers, ensure they are untreated and steep them in water in the fridge overnight. You can substitute cornflour with traditional Italian confectionery wheat starch (amido di frumento) for an even glossier texture.

Ingredient substitutions

cornflour → wheat starch (amido di frumento) for authentic clarity and texture
jasmine water → orange blossom water or pure vanilla bean extract
candied pumpkin (zuccata) → candied orange peel, finely diced

Storage

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator; this pudding cannot be reheated.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding chocolate to hot watermelon cream, which melts the chocolate and turns the brilliant pink pudding brown.
•Not stirring constantly during heating, which causes the starch to catch on the bottom of the pan and scorch.
•Skipping the straining step, resulting in a pulpy texture rather than a smooth, silky jelly.

Serving suggestions

Serve chilled in glass dessert goblets with espresso after a Ferragosto lunch.Unmould onto chilled dessert plates and surround with fresh summer berries.Use as a set filling inside a blind-baked sweet pastry shell for a traditional Palermitan watermelon tart.