Cantaloupe And Cream Sherry Granita Food

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into a 13- by 9-inch metal pan and freeze until mixture becomes a firm slush, at least 40 minutes. Scrape with a fork and serve in chilled glasses.

CANTALOUPE AND CREAM SHERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then cool syrup.
• Purée cantaloupes with syrup, lemon juice, Sherry, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender (in batches if necessary) until smooth. Pour into a 13- by 9-inch nonreactive baking dish and freeze until partially frozen, about 2 hours. Scrape and stir with a fork, crushing any lumps.
• Continue to freeze, scraping once or twice, until evenly frozen, about 3 hours more.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut melon in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon, and discard. Slice off and discard skin and pale-green flesh. Cut melon into large chunks.
• Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a nonreactive stainless steel bowl, and set aside.
• Combine sugar, lemon juice, and the water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat; let cool completely.
• Stir sugar syrup into melon puree; place in freezer, uncovered, until mixture is chunky, about 1 1/2 hours, whisking every 20 minutes to keep it from becoming too solid. To serve, divide among four shallow bowls.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the sugar, melon and lime juice in a blender. Process the mixture until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Freeze for 2 or 3 hours, and then begin the process of lightly scraping the top frozen layer with a fork.
• Return the pan to the freezer with the shaved ice on top. Remove a couple of hours later and continue scraping with a fork. Repeat the occasional scraping process until the entire mixture is shaved.
• Store, covered in plastic wrap, until serving.
• Serve in pretty glasses with mint.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the mint. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
• Puree the fruit in a food processor until liquefied. Pour the fruit into a medium bowl and add the salt. Remove the mint leaves from the syrup. Add the syrup to the pureed fruit and mix well.
• Pour the cantaloupe mixture into a pre-chilled 7 by 12-inch glass baking dish. Place it uncovered into the freezer. Stir with a fork every 1/2 hour until almost completely frozen but still grainy, about 3 to 4 hours.
• Cooking Notes: This works best in 2 glass loaf pans or one 7 by 12-inch glass baking dish. The only critical point here is NOT to stir it past the almost frozen state or the ice crystals will become too fine and hard to scrape.
• Entertaining Notes: To serve, find a really interesting glass or bowl and dip it in cold water. Put the bowl into the freezer for 15 minutes; repeat. The result will be a frosted glass that looks great and sets the right backdrop for the granita.

CANTALOUPE AND MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and 1 cup mint leaves over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
• In a blender, puree the cooled syrup, cantaloupe, and lime juice until smooth. Taste, and adjust the sweetness by blending in 1 extra tablespoon of sugar at a time. Add the remaining mint leaves and blend until finely chopped. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch glass baking dish and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Use the tines of a fork to scrape the granita into chilled bowls and serve.

CHARENTAIS GRANITA WITH CHANTILLY CREAM

Steps:

• Place sugar, 1/2 cup water, and orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 1 minute. Pour into 8x8x2-inch metal pan and cool.
• Puree melon in processor until smooth but some texture remains. Measure scant 2 cups melon puree and add to syrup in pan. Whisk to blend. Freeze mixture until thoroughly frozen, about 4 hours, stirring with fork every 1 1/2 hours. Cover and keep frozen.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Using fork, scrape granita into icy flakes. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons granita into each of 6 glasses. Top granita with 1 rounded tablespoon whipped cream. Repeat layering with granita and whipped cream. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired, and serve immediately.

CANTALOUPE CREAM PIE II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place flour and powdered sugar in large bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch deep dish pie plate.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Place the cantaloupe in a medium saucepan over medium heat. In a 2 or 4 cup measuring cup, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt, and then stir into the cantaloupe. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a low boil and begins to thicken. Beat egg yolks and water together in a small bowl. Gradually stir in small amounts of cantaloupe mixture to prevent yolks from curdling. Pour yolk mixture back into pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled slightly, pour into pre-baked, cooled pie shell.
• In a bowl, cream together the Neufchatel cheese and sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla until smooth, then fold in thawed frozen whipped topping until well blended. Spread evenly over cantaloupe layer. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.