Homemade Watermelon Sorbet

Few foods convey summer simplicity better than watermelon. Even when watermelon is dressed up as a sorbet, it demands little fuss and little company.

Unlike most sorbets, this watermelon sorbet is made almost solely with fruit — no long list of ingredients here. Watermelon sorbet requires a minimum of added sugar and no added water at all.

(Just consider this more proof that the watermelon earned the name watermelon for a good reason!)

Ingredients For Homemade Watermelon Sorbet

• About 1/5 of a medium watermelon, cut into chunks (that should be enough watermelon to fill 2 cups)
  
• Scant 1/4 cup sugar
• Optional: Juice from one lime
  
  

Kitchen Equipment

• Large knife and cutting surface
• Measuring cup
• Blender
• Ice cream maker
  
  

1. Cut the watermelon and carve out blender-sized chunks. For the best flavor, avoid the parts of the watermelon that are pale and close the rind.
   
2. Pick out any watermelon seeds, but don't worry about all the watermelon juice that squirts out as you cut. There's no need to reclaim it. The watermelon flesh will be juicy enough on its own. (The reason for this: If the sorbet has too much water, it will end up being unpleasantly icy.)
   
3. Place the sugar and the watermelon pieces in the blender. Blend the mix very thoroughly.
   
4. Pour the mix into an ice cream maker and freeze it according the machine's instructions. In a small ice cream maker this can take about half an hour.
5. Serve and enjoy!
   
   

Variations

• Make it limey: Add a dash of lime juice to the watermelon and sugar before blending.
  
  

• Watermelon Water: Another simple and cooling way to prepare watermelon.