Rose Flavoured Watermelon Jellies

This is my own adaptation of a typical Sicilian dessert, called ‘gelo di melone’, a very unique combination of flavours, that is, jasmine flowers and watermelon… something you will definitely be able to taste if visiting Sicily in summer. Since there’s plenty of watermelons around at the moment, I thought it was time to try my version of this unusual kind of dessert. However, I couldn’t find any jasmine flowers, and opted for rose water, a substitution that my Sicilian friends will hopefully appreciate.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

3 cups watermelon pulp (seeds removed) cut into pieces

1 tablespoons rose water

the juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons agar agar flakes

2 pinches natural vanilla powder

1 pinch ground cardamom

3 tablespoons rice malt syrup

dark chocolate (for garnish)

pistachios (for garnish) 

Run the watermelon pieces through a juicer. Combine the juice, rose water, lemon juice, vanilla, cardamom, rice malt syrup in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the agar agar flakes and keep stirring over low heat until the flakes have competely melted. Dissolve the corn starch (you might as well use the same amount of arrowroot instead) in 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the agar and juice mixture. Keep stirring for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into individual ramekins or molds. Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set and chilled. 

You can unmold the jellies or serve them in their ramekins. Either way, sprinkle the top of them with dark chocolate flakes and grounded pistachios. Serve chilled.

Posted in: cooked

Tagged as: agar agar, kanten, pistachios, rose water, watermelon