Sunday: A Second Serving Of Sorbet - The Results

Ok, so I have to say this turned out to be one of the best things I've made.  The key is definitely ensuring the melon is at the peak of ripeness.

Cantaloupe sorbet

Working with an Alton Brown recipe as a starting point, I tweaked it to my liking and taste.  The result is a smooth, cold, sweet, perfectly cantaloupe-flavored treat with a little twist and kick.  Very refreshing.  The recipe is below.

4 cups chilled ripe cantaloupe, diced roughly into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Absolut Raspberri Vodka
1 to 1/4 cups sugar, depending on ripeness of melon
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon fresh-ground coarse black pepper, to taste

Place the melon in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Add the lemon juice, vodka and sugar and process until the sugar is incorporated, about another 30 seconds.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator until cold (30 min to 1 hour depending on how cold the melon was going in).

Add the mixture to the ice-cream maker of your choice, and process according to the manufacturer's directions.  (I used a Cuisinart ice-cream maker, and let it churn for 30 minutes).  Approx. 5-10 minutes before completion, add the cracked black pepper and let the machine mix it in.

Transfer the sorbet quickly to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and let chill for at least 4 hours; preferably overnight.  For best results, serve in a chilled dish or bowl.

Delicious!