Cantaloupe ice cream
I didn’t think I liked cantaloupe.
I know, I know, how can this be? Texas is famous for its cantaloupes, especially Pecos cantaloupes, which hail from this West Texas town situated between Odessa and El Paso.
The soil around Pecos is salty and sandy. And even though cantaloupes aren’t native to Texas, in the early 1900’s farmers started planting them there and they realized that special soil produced especially juicy and sweet fruit. A Texan fruit star was born.
Pecos cantaloupe is in season right now and while they don’t often travel outside the border if you do get your hands on one you’re in for a treat. For a few years, Blue Bell even produced a limited-edition flavor in the late summer called Pecos Cantaloupe ‘N Cream. It hasn’t been made for the past two years, however, and this has made people sad.
When I first learned about the flavor, however, I shrugged. Cantaloupe had not been something I’d eaten for quite a while as one I had eaten made my mouth tingle and my lips swell; I assumed I was allergic.
My grandparents, however, used to grow these melons. And when I was in college they’d drive up to Sherman and share them with my friends and me. “I don’t like cantaloupe,” I said when my grandma recently told me her memories of these late-summer deliveries. “Yes you do,” said my grandma, “And you said that our cantaloupes were awesome.”
Having been reminded that there was a time in my life when I did eat cantaloupe and intrigued by the notion of a cantaloupe ice cream, I recently tried the fruit again. Now I can’t get Texas cantaloupe here in New York, but the one I did eat was juicy, sweet and creamy. I was again hooked.
During the final days of summer, melons are such a gift. Is there anything more satisfying then biting into a juicy wedge on a sultry day? You almost don’t need to do a thing to them, though a batch of cantaloupe ice cream is definitely a refreshing, luxurious dessert
I make my cantaloupe ice cream smooth, with a touch of lime juice, ginger and salt to bring out its delicate flavor. Though if you prefer some chunks of fruit in your ice cream you can easily change this recipe to accommodate that.
And yes, I’m happy that I’m eating cantaloupes again. Now I just need to get my hands on some Pecos cantaloupes, so I can have the best of the best.
Cantaloupe ice cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced ripe cantaloupe
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a blender, puree the cantaloupe with 1/2 cup half-and-half.
- In a pot, cook the cantaloupe puree with the cream and remaining half-and-half on medium heat until warm—do not let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, lime juice, ginger and salt. Stir into the eggs 1/2 cup of the warm liquid and then pour egg and cream mixture into the pot.
- On medium low, heat this mixture while stirring occasionally for five minutes or until it gets slightly thick. You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of your spoon. Cool in the refrigerator for four hours.
- Freeze and churn according to your ice-cream maker’s instructions.
There's a paleteria in Round Rock (sadly, I forget the name) that makes fabulous ice cream in-store. Sometimes but not always they have cantaloupe, and occasionally even avocado. I'd have thought it would be bizarre, but avocado ice cream was incredible.
I recently discovered why cantaloupe causes me to have an allergic reaction (an apparently a bunch of y'all too!), it is related to ragweed! However, if I get my hands on a good Pecos melon, I won't let the symptoms stop me, it is worth it to enjoy the taste. I'll have to try this ice cream, I wasn't too big on the Blue Bell version.
I am from that West Texas town and having had Pecos cantaloupes all of my life ruined me! I now live in Kansas and I've never had anything that has ever come close to those that come from my small hometown. I grew up putting a scoop of vanilla ice cream inside a halved melon and devouring it with a spoon. Every year I go back to my home town in April, 3 months too early for the harvest. Sad, I know. This year, my family is there now and will be bringing some back to Kansas for me. I'm most excited to share with my friends. None of them have ever had a real cantaloupe before. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. Ever since I had honeydew melon icecream in Japan I've been obsessed with it. I'm sure I can just substitute the cantaloupe with some trial and error. It's huge over in asia, just not here in Canada.
I followed your recipe and the result was ok but with a bitter aftertaste. Do you have any idea what went wrong in the process?