Melon Ice Water (Eau de Melon)

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ripe melon (Approximately 1 medium melon, such as cantaloupe or honeydew. Should be very ripe and fragrant for the best flavour.)
• 0.5 pint (280 ml) boiling water (Used to dissolve the gelatine sheets.)
• 4 sheets gelatine sheets (Standard leaf gelatine. Marshall's gelatine was the original brand specified; any standard leaf gelatine works as a substitute.)
• 3 oz (85 g) sugar (White granulated or caster sugar works well.)
• 2 fruits (freshly squeezed) orange or lemon juice (Use the juice of 2 oranges or 2 lemons depending on your preference. Lemons give a sharper flavour; oranges a more mellow sweetness.)
• 1 wine-glass (approx. 60 ml) curaçao or maraschino syrup (Curaçao is an orange-flavoured liqueur; maraschino syrup is a sweet cherry-flavoured syrup. Either works. For a non-alcoholic version, use maraschino syrup.)
• 1 wine-glass (approx. 60 ml) white rum (The original recipe specifies 'Silver Rays' white rum. Any good quality white rum is suitable.)
• 0.75 oz (21 g) ground ginger (This is a significant quantity of ginger and will produce a noticeably spiced result. Reduce to taste if preferred milder.)
• 1 pint (570 ml) water (Cold or room temperature water, added at the end to dilute and extend the mixture before freezing.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the melon on a chopping board. Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy fibres with a spoon — discard these. Cut the melon into thick wedges, then slice off the skin from each wedge, cutting close to the flesh to minimise waste. Cut the peeled flesh into rough chunks and place them into a large bowl or the jug of a blender.
2. 2If using a blender, blend the melon chunks on high speed until completely smooth, about 30–60 seconds. If you do not have a blender, use a potato masher or the back of a large fork to pound and mash the melon thoroughly in the bowl until you have a smooth, lump-free pulp. You can also pass the mashed melon through a fine-mesh sieve for an extra-smooth result.
3. 3Place the 4 gelatine sheets into a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften them — they will become floppy and pliable. Meanwhile, bring the 280 ml (half a pint) of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan. Remove the gelatine sheets from the cold water and squeeze out any excess water with your hands. Add the softened gelatine sheets to the boiling water and stir well with a spoon until completely dissolved, about 1–2 minutes. There should be no visible gelatine pieces remaining.
4. 4Pour the hot gelatine liquid into the melon purée and stir to combine. Add the 85 g (3 oz) of sugar and stir until it has fully dissolved. Squeeze the juice from 2 oranges or 2 lemons (removing any pips) and add the juice to the mixture. Pour in the wine-glass (approx. 60 ml) of curaçao or maraschino syrup and the wine-glass (approx. 60 ml) of white rum. Finally, add the 21 g (¾ oz) of ground ginger. Stir everything together thoroughly until well combined and uniform.
5. 5Pour the remaining 570 ml (1 pint) of cold water into the melon mixture and stir well to combine everything fully. Taste the mixture — it should be flavourful and pleasantly sweet with a noticeable ginger warmth. The mixture will be quite liquid at this stage, which is correct.
6. 6You can freeze this mixture in one of two ways. For a rough granita-style serve: Pour the mixture into a large, shallow freezer-safe container (such as a baking tray or large rectangular dish). Place it in the freezer. After 1 hour, use a fork to scrape and stir the mixture, breaking up any ice crystals forming around the edges. Repeat this scraping process every 30–45 minutes for 3–4 hours until you have a consistently icy, slushy texture throughout. Serve scooped into chilled glasses. For a moulded ice: Pour the mixture into individual metal or silicone moulds or a single large decorative mould. Place in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until completely solid. To unmould, dip the outside of the mould briefly in warm water for 5–10 seconds, then invert onto a chilled serving plate.