WATERMELON SORBET WITH WINE BASIL GELéE

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Watermelon Sorbet with Wine Basil Gelée image

Categories     Dessert     Frozen Dessert     Lemon     Watermelon     Basil     White Wine     Summer     Gourmet     Fat Free     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free

Yield Makes 6 to 8 dessert servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

For sorbet
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
5 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon (from a 4-lb piece, rind discarded)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
For gelée
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Special Equipment
an ice cream maker

Steps:

  • Make sorbet:
  • Bring sugar, water, and zest to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, 2 minutes.
  • Put watermelon in a blender, then add syrup and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on pulp and discarding any remaining solids.
  • Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.
  • Make gelée while sorbet freezes:
  • Blanch basil in a 3-quart pot of boiling salted water 5 seconds, then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain basil and squeeze dry.
  • Bring wine, sugar, zest, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in cleaned 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer 2 minutes.
  • While wine syrup simmers, sprinkle gelatin over remaining 2 tablespoons water in a large metal bowl and let soften 1 minute.
  • Pour about 1/2 cup wine syrup through a medium-mesh sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into gelatin mixture (reserve lined sieve), then stir until gelatin is dissolved.
  • Blend remaining syrup with basil and lemon juice in cleaned blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then pour through lined sieve into gelatin mixture. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 15 minutes, then chill in refrigerator, uncovered, until set, at least 2 hours.
  • Gently whisk gelée to break into small pieces and serve as a bed for scoops of sorbet.

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