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Fresh Fruit Ice Trio: Lime, Watermelon & Pineapple

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Fresh Fruit Ice Trio: Lime, Watermelon & PineappleLucy Schaeffer

Street vendors throughout Mexico's beach towns sell cold fresh fruit served in a plastic bag with bits of ice in it to keep the fruit chilled. This dessert is as take on that, as well as a refreshing end to any meal. Feel free to experiment by pouring a bit of tequila over the ice to create an instant margarita.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6

Ingredients

Lime

3

/4 cup sugar

2

1/4 cups water

1

/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)

Finely grated zest of 3 limes

Watermelon

1

/4 cup sugar

2

cups water

4

cups chopped seedless watermelon (about 3 pounds whole fruit), rind removed

Juice of 1 lime

Pineapple

1

/2 cup sugar

2

cups water

1

pineapple, peeled, cored, chopped (about 3 cups)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. LIME

    Step 1

    Prepare a Simple Syrup
    Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

    Step 2

    Add the Lime Juice and Freeze
    Pour the simple syrup and lime juice in a 9 by 11-inch nonreactive baking pan and stir in the lime zest. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

    Step 3

    After 1 hour, stir the mixture well, using a fork. Return to the freezer for another hour, then stir again. Allow the mixture to freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight (it is not necessary to continue stirring after you have done it twice).

    Step 4

    Serve
    Remove the pan from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the fruit ice and serve it in a small bowl.

  2. WATERMELON

    Step 5

    Prepare a Simple Syrup
    Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

    Step 6

    Puree the Watermelon and Freeze
    Puree the watermelon chunks (it is fine if small seeds are still attached) in a blender until smooth. Pour the simple syrup, lime juice, and watermelon puree in a 9 by 11-inch nonreactive baking pan and stir well. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

    Step 7

    After 1 hour, stir the mixture well, using a fork. Return to the freezer for another hour, then stir again. This time allow the mixture to freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight (it is not necessary to continue stirring after you have done it twice).

    Step 8

    Serve
    Remove the pan from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the fruit ice and serve it in a small bowl.

  3. PINEAPPLE

    Step 9

    Prepare a Simple Syrup
    Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

    Step 10

    Puree the Pineapple and Freeze
    Puree the pineapple chunks in a blender until smooth. Pour the simple syrup and pineapple puree in a 9 by 11-inch nonreactive baking pan and stir well. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

    Step 11

    After 1 hour, stir the mixture well using a fork. Return to the freezer for another hour, then stir again. This time allow the mixture to freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight (it is not necessary to continue stirring after you have done it twice).

    Step 12

    Serve
    Remove the pan from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the fruit ice and serve it in a small bowl.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author shucking an ear of corn.
Reprinted with permission from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro, © April 2009 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book at Amazon or Bookshop.