Dear diary. Dear everyone. On Sunday, I had my very first cup of coffee in four months. !!! To be fair, I think it was about two tablespoons of coffee in a cup of milk and a boatload of sugar, so it tasted more like melted coffee ice cream than coffee, but I’m going to say it counts. It was the most exciting moment of my Sunday. Or July. I never ever imagined I’d stop drinking coffee while pregnant — instead, I was terrified of going without it, and I’m pretty sure I looked up that “one-cup-a-day” rule way before B3 was a figment of our imagination (and maybe even before B2 was a figment of mine). I was holding onto that rule with both hands and feet and entire being all the way up until one day around week 6, when I woke up and coffee suddenly and inexplicably smelled like the worst thing in the world. Such woe. But somehow this weekend, after four months of matcha (which was, granted, far from the worst), I opened up the coffee tin and thought mm instead of oh no get this noxious tub of poison away from me, and B2 had to listen to me chant “look at me, I’m drinking coffee!” as I sipped a tiny melted-ice-cream for the rest of the morning. It was an excellent Sunday.
That has exactly nothing to do with sorbet (I just couldn’t contain my excitement) except that one thing I have had a taste for in all these six (!) months is fruit, fruit, and more fruit. (To be clear, I’ve also craved pretty much every unhealthy thing under the sun … just not consistently.) No sooner did I get rid of our noisy, bulky, rock-salt-gobbling ice cream machine in our move last month that I realized, belatedly, all the wonderful fruit sorbets that I could have made — this salted cantaloupe sorbet, which has been on my list for two years now, River Cafe’s famed and impossibly ruby-red strawberry sorbet, and this pale green jasmine-honeydew confection.
Luckily, it was right around then that Cuisinart saved the day. I’ve been eyeing their ice cream machines for as long as I can remember, and so far it’s been as every bit as great as I hoped. Their neat Fruit Scoop takes up about half the space that my old ice cream machine used to, and the convenience of the freezer bowl drives away all memories of layers of ice and rock salt and deafening grinding cacophony. Softer fruits like strawberry and mango can go right into it to make the quickest sorbet ever, or else you can cook down firmer fruits or puree them in a blender before adding them. And a separate paddle attachment makes it into a regular old ice cream machine for all my dairy dreams to come true. (So technically, it doesn’t break that “don’t buy one-purpose kitchen tools” rule. In my opinion.)
This jasmine-honeydew sorbet is simpler than I’d ever have guessed, but so good I had to struggle not to eat it all straight out of the ice cream maker. I’ve been dreaming of combining jasmine tea and melon for awhile now, and thought I might try it with this chamoe jam, but jasmine does tend to overpower easily and drowned out delicate chamoe in such a small batch. With the more intense sweetness from honeydew and its larger size, though, the combination was just perfect. There’s a hint of flowery jasmine here and there, enough to add (surprisingly) a slightly minty freshness to the sorbet, but not so much as to mask the sweet fragrance and natural creaminess of the melon. And the whole thing takes just four ingredients.
(Edit: To my Melona-loving kindred spirits below — yes, this was totally born of a Melona binge! Now the only thing that remains is a full-fledged melon ice cream…)
P.S. The kind folks at Cuisinart are giving away one more Fruit Scoop to one of you! To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below or on Instagram (or both!) Giveaway ends next Wednesday, August 3, at 11:59pm PST. Thank you so much to Cuisinart for sponsoring this post, and to you for reading! As always, all opinions are my own.
Jasmine-honeydew sorbet // a Cuisinart giveaway!
Based on a recipe by my favorite authority for all things frozen, Jeni Britton Bauer. Also, see below for a no-churn option!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup jasmine tea (see Notes)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup (see Notes)
- 2 1/2 lbs honeydew melon, deseeded, rinds removed, and cubed (about 5 cups)
Instructions
- The night before or 12 hours ahead: If needed, place the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker in the coldest part of your freezer.
- The day of: If you haven’t already, brew the jasmine tea to your liking (see Notes below for the proportions I used). In a small saucepan or pot, combine 1/4 cup of the jasmine tea, the sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat. Stir just until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Using a food processor or blender, puree the honeydew and simple syrup together until smooth. Pour the honeydew mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer instructions. If you like your sorbet soft, enjoy immediately. Otherwise, place the sorbet into the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until firm. You may want to thaw it for a few minutes before scooping.
Notes
I used 1 Ten Ren jasmine tea bag (you can also use 1 tablespoon loose leaf tea) in 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of boiling water for about 4-5 minutes. For a stronger jasmine flavor, use 2 tea bags; for a more subtle flavor, use 1 tea bag and 6-8 ounces of water.
If you’re not a fan of corn syrup, feel free to substitute honey, or simply use sugar.
If you don’t have an ice cream machine, I have made fairly good no-churn sorbets by freezing the melon chunks ahead of time, then blending it in a food processor until smooth. It will freeze harder than a churn version, but if you’re looking to enjoy immediately, it’s delightful.
Meredith
I love the addition of the baby’s breath—so precious and it looks gorgeous. Congratulations again to the parents-to-be. I am so excited for your little one!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
I love sorbets but haven’t indulged in a long time. I’ve been making no-churn ice cream and it’s been turning out well. BUT, I can’t make anything as delicious as your sorbet as a no-churn. There are so many Italian desserts I’d like to make and a machine would make it easier. Are you tempted to make more frozen desserts having a machine? That was the main reason hubby didn’t want having a temptation around the house — we both love frozen desserts. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Helen
What an interesting flavor profile! Sounds really interesting.
Heather
Jasmine tea is a must when we’re out to Chinese restaurants, and I love that you’ve brought it to an entirely different realm of cookery with the frozen, fluffy melon! Beautiful. Cheers!
Donna
Honeydew! And so many other melon possibilities now at the Farmer’s markets…
joyosity
I was wondering how you got the jasmine flavor in there! Jasmine tea–so brilliant!
Helen Tzouganatos
All of your posts make me smile from ear to ear. Your food styling and photography is so inspiring, I flick through your images again and again. I only recently started drinking Jasmine Tea, was not a fan initially but now I love it. Must try this recipe.
Ellen
jasmine and honeydew sound like a refreshing combination!
grace
what a unique batch of sorbet–it sounds extremely refreshing and delicious!
MaryJo
What an ingenious combination of flavors! Two of my friends have–and love–their Cuisinart ice cream makers and I’ve been thinking about getting one.
jan
I’ll be giving this recipe a try this weekend… perfect for a family bbq at my place this weekend. Looks amazing!
Camille
Hi, thanks for the giveaway! This sorbet looks so good and refreshing, I can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂
Cat
I never would have thought to incorporate honeydew in a sorbet! The addition of jasmine just sounds divine 🙂
Michelle
Beautiful pics! I would love to win this machine and try that recipe. Looks delicious!
Linda
welcome back to the world of coffee. 🙂 Maybe a coffee ice cream is in your future. 🙂 Jasmine honeydew is intriguing…. I’d love to try this combo. I’ve never had an ice cream machine, and this is the 2nd recipe in a week that’s come along to tempt me. The first was for for frozen yog via Food52, made w regular yogurt. The soft version doesn’t need sugar, but using add ins and toppings sounds inspired. I think I’ve been missing out on something….
Alexandra Pool
I’m surprised to see how much of the honeydew color the sorbet retained! I guess because it’s just that beautifully simple. Looks lovely and very tasty.
sop.hie.s
Oooooh, an ice cream machine!! I’m longing for this since ages, my pinterest is loaded with ice cream recipes but being a bit short on budget, I’ve been putting the idea of buying one aside. Winning this would really make my summer!!
Sj Dc (@sjd_c)
Thank you for the giveaway!
Tiffany
I’ve always wanted to churn my own ice cream and sorbets.
Tisha
I would never have thought to put honeydew with jasmine, but Jeni sure knows what she’s doing and I can’t wait to try it! I have been wanting to get an ice cream maker and had my eye on the KitchenAid stand mixer attachment (I’m with you on the one-purpose kitchen gadgets), but was disappointed to see that the long-term reviews aren’t great. So I’ve finally decided that it’s ok to buy a standalone ice cream maker. This one seems like it’s a reasonable size and has multiple options, I’m definitely going to give it a look!
Paige
This looks delicious! My sweet tooth is aching just looking at the photos! (Beautiful photos, by the way).
monica oei
Can’t wait to try this. My daughters love these flavors but we’ve never had a chance to combine them
Sis Adger
I am just starting to discover the joys of sorbet! I’ll be bookmarking this recipe to try soon! Sounds so refreshing.
Marissa
Yum! I would love to try this sorbet!
Melissa
This looks amazing!!
Marcia
Stunning picture! And that sorbet looks so refreshing….can’t wait to try this.
Katie
I would LOVE an ice cream machine!!
Samara
We’ve been going through two boxes of fruit popsicles each week. Your sorbet looks much tastier. Would love to try a peach sorbet, as they’ve been overflowing in my CSA boxes recently.
Amanda | What's Cooking
This looks so delicious! Perfect for summer. I’ve wanted an ice cream maker for years. My birthday is next month and every year I ask for an ice cream maker because I know if I get one for myself, it’s game over and all I will eat. I also have trouble justifying one more device for my little NYC kitchen. But if cuisinart were to “gift” me one…..Anyway I hope you’re doing very well and I’m loving the pics from your breakfast nook and I’m glad your love of coffee is back with a two-tablespoon vengeance.
melissa
For those of you looking to make this sans ice cream maker, pop the mix in the freezer, and every 30 minutes pull it out and cut it with two butter knives, then refreeze. Repeat for about 3-4 hours. (Or, if you’re lazy, freeze completely, then let it sit out for 20-30 minutes to soften, and cut with a couple of butter knives. The texture isn’t as even, but it is less work.) You get a lovely granita (Italian Snow Cone) that way! Williams Sonoma has a great article about it:
http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/how-to-make-a-granita-in-6-easy-steps/
That being said, the ice cream maker produces a lovely, smooth-textured dessert that can’t really be matched. I found one at Williams Sonoma in late September for $20. For those of you with the ice cream maker on your wish list, just wait until the end of summer and go check out your kitchen stores.
Finally, thank you for the gorgeous blog! Your recipes are always interesting, spot-on, and have the “wow” factor that others tend to leave out! This sorbet is no exception. It seems like the perfect light ending to a hot summer day!
Suzie
This looks so good and so fresh! Totally converted to ice cream makers.
Bill McGRATH
Thanks for the update- COFFEE and pregnancy- My wife and I have 5 children aged between 18 and 31- And I have seen three of them graduate college and all five are healthy and bright- My wife found out she was pregnant and immediately gave up caffeine- Is this a fair sample? Probably not , but I encourage your abstinence as your child will be the beneficiary! And and OBTW – Best of luck to you and your MR on the arrival of your new baby
Christina
Two of my favourite flavours! Never thought to pair them together until now.
Jenny
What a lovely combination! I never would have thought of it, but it seems like the perfect thing to beat this summer heat!
Brenda
I’d love to be able to make homemade ice cream and sorbets!
Ellen
would love to try this recipe, just need an ice cream maker 🙂
Sarah
This looks absolutely delicious.
Cindy C
This flavor sounds amazing! I love jasmine tea and honeydew!
Summer
ohh, this sorbet is perfect for the heat wave we’ve been having here on the east coast. I loved reading about your foray back into coffee Cynthia, it may not have had anything to do with the recipe, but it was such a fun story, thank you for sharing with us!
Allie
heat dome + jasmine-honeydew sorbet = 👅💦
Lindsay
This looks like the perfect summer treat. I would love to try to make this. I know my kids would love it!
Kaitlin
This looks so lovely and refreshing!
Lauren M
I used to hate honeydew as a child but have grown to absolutely love it. It sounds amazing with jasmine! I’ll have to try making this over the summer.
Caitlin
This sorbet looks delicious!
Erica
The flavors sound so delicate and lovely. For some reason this reminds me that I need to eat more Melona bars, those honeydew melon popsicles you get at the Korean grocery if you’ve ever had it?! Looks so refreshing Cynthia!!! <3
Mars
I have the worst luck in the world but this looks delicious – drooling over your recipes & that cuisinart!
Fork to Belly
When Roy’s sister was pregnant she couldn’t eat cheese – until she found a boat load of pasteurized cheeses at Trader Joe’s and went absolutely nuts for them! Also, fruit cravings sound like just about the healthiest baby-bump cravings to have – except for maybe kale? I also can’t get over how much this sorbet makes me think of Melona bars and I need it in my face hole naooooooo
Christina Magnuson
What a clever and delicious treat for a hot August night! I love the addition of jasmine tea and I can’t wait to try this!
Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land
Hehe! Oh my gosh. When I was pregnant with Teddy, ALL I wanted was ice cold watermelon. So that’s all I ate. I’d cut up an entire watermelon and eat through the whole thing. And the cutest thing is, he LOVES watermelon and it’s his favourite fruit! I gave him a taste for it I guess… LOL. I realized I haven’t yet had a Melona this summer, dammnit! But perhaps instead this jasmine honeydew sorbet will do the trick! Love it, Cynthia! Hope you’re feeling well and good! XO
blognmeza
I love sorbets! I am lactose intolerant so sometimes, the dairy free versions of ice cream are just lacking in variety and flavors. But if I could make my own, that would be awesome!
Brandee
This looks and sounds amazing! I never know what to do with honeydew as no one else in my house likes it. Will have to try this! I also gave up coffee while pregnant and also while nursing, it does get easier, but when you get to drink again… oh heavenly!
WYH
Sounds so refreshing and light, perfect on a hot day! Can’t wait to try this recipe out.
Lois Kim
ahhh this looks so delicious!! melona ice cream is one of my childhood favorites <3
Shikha la mode
I legit feel like I would not be able to function without coffee, so I had no idea how you did it. Boatloads of ice cream helps I’m sure 😉
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
This looks so good!!
[email protected]
as someone who just had her baby, i can relate! congrats — these are exciting times! (and i too would love an ice cream machine for an ice-cream-filled future with my little one!)
Meghan
I just bought David Lebovitz’s book The Perfect Scoop and earmarked every other page. I might have to put those on the backburner to try this out
Kate
Beautiful pictures as always. I’ve never had an ice cream maker before, it would be lovely. My fave kitchen brands are Cuisinart and KitchenAid.
Autumn Peterson
I couldn’t drink a sip of coffee for my first two months of pregnancy, and now at the end I haven’t been able to drink it for the last two either! And as a barista I had to make it all day so I really couldn’t escape. But I have been fruit crazy, especially for kiwis and apples and berries, and sorbet sounds amazing and surprisingly simple!
Jane
Beautiful photos and a yummy recipe!
Courtney
What a delicious-sounding combination! Now if only I could get my hands on an ice cream machine to actually try it out…
Amy Chao
Great flavor. Wonderful way to make sorbet~
Sonja Hegedus
What a refreshing summer treat!
Abby
Looks delicious!
Kathleen
This sounds so refreshing during heat!
Corisa Jubinsky
that sounds delicious ! very refreshing on a hot, summer day!
Erin Ellis
How fantastic! It is 102 right now, and this would be so fabulous! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
Erin
ErinLoves2Run at gmail dot com
Neha Kunwar
Nom! Looks delicious 🙂
Anonymous
This looks lovely and so refreshing! Jasmine tea is one of my absolutely favorite flavors and it seems like the perfect pairing with the sweet melon! Love this recipe, thanks very much for sharing, you’re brilliant!
Denene
I can’t wait to make this ice cream!
Holly
This is a flavor I never would have thought of, but it sounds fantastic! (and no wonder, if it’s inspired by Jeni. I’m obsessed with Jen’s amazing fruit flavors)
Karen
this combo sounds amazing!
justine
Fruit sorbet is surpassing other desserts as my go to – it I such a light and refreshingly, yet still sweet, way to end a meal.
Sonja
Yummy! Definitely on the hunt for an ice cream maker! Can’t wait to experiment.
Aysegul at www.foolproofliving.com
WOW! Jasmine and honeydew.. What a combo! Gorgeous.
And congrats on all the coffee drinking. I hope pregnancy is treating you well.
Cheers!
gracefulcoffee
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Veronica E
That combo sounds amazing! and the pics are so dreamy!
Susan Rogers
mmm…. can’t wait to try. thanks
Kath the Cook
I would love to have this to make sorbets and ice cream. thanks
Dana S
gorgeous. looks so refreshing!
Stephanie
That looks delicious!
rusthawk
I do like the interesting combination of jasmine and – a big favorite of mine – honeydew! Yum!
Heather S
Oooh I would la la LOVE to make my grandmother’s lemon custard ice cream in that beauty. Cheers!
France H.
Beautiful photos! I gave up coffee too, about a month ago. 25 year veteran drinker, never wanted to give it up, never thought I would, but I did and I don’t miss it one bit! xo
Steph Per
Looks and sounds beautiful!
Anonymous
Jasmine! Nice.
colleenmariecervantes
I love your recipe and pictures. Would love to make it since we are in our 8th day of triple diget weather. I also have other recipes I have saved wheneever I receive an ice cream maker.Thank you and thank Cuisinart Fruit Scoop for the chance to win something I have only dreamt about. The small size would be perfect for my kitchin and my Grandchildren would greatly appreciate the free ice cream. Ha Ha.of.
odessadarling
This sounds wonderful! I’d love to try it.
Jen
looks so fun and delicious!
connsonanceConnie
wow! this looks so refreshing and delicious. brilliant recipe.
Caitlin H
This sorbet looks delicious!! Perfect for a summer day…
Jen
looks so refreshing! i also find the name “fruit scoop” to be adorable for some reason.
joya
love the combination of flavors!
i’m obsessed by pairing flavors like these and really dream about making a grapefruit and black pepper corn sorbet. actually, popsicles or anything with summer fruit seems divine at this point in the year. great photos and recipe, which truly inspire.
Nikki B
This looks so refreshing!
Julianne Casey
this sorbet looks SO refreshing! the perfect summer treat.
Madeline
Yay for coffee!!! I couldn’t imagine going that long without it, but I guess being pregnant would definitely change things! This sorbet looks so good. I saw a similar one on Tasty awhile ago but yours looks so much prettier and fancier ; ) Thanks for sharing!
Sankhalina
Such a perfect little summer dessert.
Lisa T
Fantastic giveaway, on the hottest of days! Thank you, for your refreshing sorbet and those beautiful photos.
Connie Lee
I love that melon that they sell at the korean market! I wonder if this sorbet will taste like the melon ice cream if you add heavy cream?
Sarah
This combination is GENIUS! I love melon and I love jasmine tea, but I never thought to put them together. And as a sorbet, no less! Thanks so much for the recipe – I’ll be trying it in my popsicle maker – fingers crossed that it holds together well in that form!
sms
Thanks for the recipe and the chance to win.
Yoojin
ahhh, melona! this recipe is perfect to bring back my melona memories 🙂
Ashley Y.
This recipe looks awesome! Can’t wait to try it out
Kelsey Reinhard
I’ve been on an ice-cream making kick lately — will definitely have to add this to the rotation 🙂
chowder321
Jasmine and Honeydew sounds like such a delicious and unique combination! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
NatasyaK
I just came across your blog and what a delightful blog you have here. I’ll visit often from now on.
Payal
The honeydew-jasmine combination sounds so interesting and light – on my list to try!
Linda
These are beautiful photos. I want to eat some now!
Joanna M
Honeydew and jasmine sound like the loveliest combination, and sorbet sounds like the perfect treat for these hot summer days >.< Your photos are so beautiful and calming too!
caroline
! i generally don’t like honeydew but this sounds heavenly. brb forcing someone with an ice-cream maker to make this for me
Julia
wow this looks great!
Sabrina
Honeydew and jasmine sound like an amazing combination!
Shu
Hi, I would love to make this but if I were to replace corn sugar with sugar, how much sugar would that require please? Thanks!