Chilled and utterly refreshing, this beautiful freeze of watermelon and raspberries creates a melody in your mouth. Sweetened with a lemon-infused simple syrup, it’s a sweet treat offering a wonderful way to beat the heat of summer!
Both watermelon and raspberries evoke images of summer’s delight. Their pinkish red hues put a smile on your face and their sweet flavors are sublime when picked at their peak, making them simply irresistible!
There is one big difference between sorbets and their ice cream and sherbet counterparts – no dairy. Instead they’re a marriage typically made with fruit and a simple syrup. Their flavors are so clean and bright that they’ve long been used to cleanse the palate between courses when dining. This delightful sorbet follows that path. Made with a purée of watermelon and raspberries along with a remarkable brightness from a lemon soaked simple syrup dropping in three layers of lemon flavor – lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon paste.
This is an easy recipe with prep being the main focus. Take the time to strain both the watermelon and raspberry purées, removing any seeds that make their way through the puréeing process.
Give the base a good chill then freeze it in your ice cream machine, followed by some extra time in your freezer to firm up.
This icy cold, frozen fruit treat is layered with the fresh tastes of summer and is certain to put a smile on your face!
Watermelon and Raspberry Sorbet
If you end up with extra watermelon purée, just chill it – it makes a delightful drink!
1-½ cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons, about 1 teaspoon
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1-½ lemons
¼ teaspoon lemon paste* or lemon extract
1 cup water
4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
1-½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
Combine the sugar with the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon paste and water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place about half of the watermelon in a blender and process on medium-low, until liquefied, using the tamper as needed. Add the remaining watermelon and process on medium speed until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Strain the watermelon purée through a wide sieve into a large container. Measure out 3 cups of watermelon purée for the sorbet.
Add the raspberries along with ½ cup of the watermelon purée (measured out for the sorbet) into the canister of the blender. Process on medium until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes, adding more watermelon purée if needed to blend.
Strain the raspberries through the sieve and add to the reserved watermelon purée. Stir the lemon simple syrup into the watermelon and raspberry purée. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
When you’re ready to churn, stir the sorbet mixture – it will separate slightly as it chills. Pour it slowly into an ice cream maker and churn until the mixture is partially frozen. Don’t over churn or the sorbet will be icy in texture. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze until the sorbet is set.
Makes one quart of sorbet.
*Lemon paste is a thick, rich paste made from the oils of lemons, adding an extra depth of lemon. Nielsen-Massey makes a number of flavored pastes and extracts, available in fine food markets and online.
Watermelon and Raspberry Sorbet
Equipment
- small saucepan
- Blender
- Sieve
- Electric ice cream maker
- Freezer proof container
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons, about 1 teaspoon
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1-½ lemons
- ¼ teaspoon lemon paste* or lemon extract
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
- 1-½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Combine the sugar with the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon paste and water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Place about half of the watermelon in a blender and process on medium-low, until liquefied, using the tamper as needed. Add the remaining watermelon and process on medium speed until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Strain the watermelon purée through a wide sieve into a large container. Measure out 3 cups of watermelon purée for the sorbet.
- Add the raspberries along with ½ cup of the watermelon purée (measured out for the sorbet) into the canister of the blender. Process on medium speed until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes, adding more watermelon purée if needed to blend.
- Strain the raspberries through the sieve and add to the reserved watermelon purée.
- Stir the lemon simple syrup into the watermelon and raspberry purée. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- When you’re ready to churn, stir the sorbet mixture – it will separate slightly as it chills. Pour it slowly into an ice cream maker and churn until the mixture is partially frozen. Don't over churn or the sorbet will be icy in texture. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze until the sorbet is set.
