Make the Most of Summer Produce with These Three Cantaloupe Desserts

Cantaloupe, also known as kharbuja, is a refreshing summer fruit, recognizable for its orange flesh and mild sweetness. It’s a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and hydration, all of which you need in this scorching summer heat. Being out and about in the sun can be exhausting and that’s when you need to replenish your electrolytes and keep your energy levels up. While having it chilled and chopped is the easiest way, why not try making desserts with it? We have an easy dessert recipes without milk and one with milk towards the end that is an Indian easy milk sweet recipe you are familiar with. 

Gelo di Cantalupo

Ingredients:

• 1 cantaloupe
• 40 gm sugar
• 35 gm corn starch
• 2 tbsp elderflower syrup
• Seasonal fruits of choice for garnish 

Instructions:

1. Chop the cantaloupe, deseed it and then blend it into a smooth purée.
2. Then pass it through a fine-meshed sieve to eliminate any fiber. This should yield about 500 ml of juice. If the size of the fruit you’re using is small, use two cantaloupes.
3. Next, add water, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
4. Once the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved in water, add about 250 ml of the fresh juice.
5. Then add the rest of the juice, followed by elderflower syrup.
6. Let this simmer for a minute or so and then take the pan off the heat.
7. Pour the prepared mixture into serving cups or a large dish and let it set overnight.
8. Garnish with fresh fruits of your choice, or even some more cut-up cantaloupe when you serve. 

Cantaloupe Granita

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe cantaloupe
• 60 ml water
• 50 gm granulated sugar 

Instructions:

1. Chop the ripe cantaloupe. Ensure it is super sweet and soft too. Remove the seeds and pop the fruit in the blender.
2. Add sugar and water and blend everything into a smoothie.
3. Transfer into a freezer-proof container and let it solidify for a couple of hours.
4. Break the ice with a fork until the dessert looks like slush.
5. If you’re serving the granita to adults, you can substitute water with Prosecco or sparkling white wine.
6. You can also add mint or basil to add some herbaceous freshness to the granita if you want. 

Cantaloupe Kheer

Ingredients:

• 45 gm rice
• 710 ml milk
• 3 tbsp blanched almonds
• 60 ml cantaloupe purée
• 50 gm sugar
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon powder
• 2-3 tbsp chopped pistachios and walnuts 

Instructions:

1. Peel, chop, deseed, and purée the cantaloupe.
2. Cook the rice in double the amount of water to get a mushy texture.
3. Blanch and peel the almonds, then create a paste out of them. Set aside.
4. Boil all the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and cook it down to half its quantity.
5. Once that’s done add the cooked rice, cantaloupe purée, sugar and almond paste.
6. Keep stirring until all the ingredients come together and you get a thick pudding.
7. Let it cool and garnish with chopped pistachios and walnuts before serving.