A Healthier Watermelon Bombe

Makes 12 servings

Presented by Danica at Danica’s Daily

One of the most popular desserts to have at a summer cookout is watermelon.  Why not take your watermelon a step further and make a Watermelon Bombe!  Your guests will LOVE the healthy flavorful combination of the lime, vanilla and watermelon.  I replaced the pistacio ice cream with sherbert and created my own sorbet to lighten up this favorite summertime dessert.  This is one of my recipe submissions to the myrecipes.com BEST Summer Desserts contest!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

2 pounds of watermelon, rind removed, seeded and chopped

Juice of one lime ~ 1 Tablespoon

1 quart Key Lime Sherbert, slightly softened

1 pint Slow Churn Light Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, slightly softened

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Green food coloring, optional

Instructions

1. Spray a 3-quart metal or glass bowl with nonstick cooking spray or line with 3 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap, keeping the wrap as wrinkle free as possible and allowing the excess to extend over the rim by about 3-4 inches. Freeze until chilled, about 30 minutes.
2. To make the sugar syrup, combine the honey, sugar, and water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes.
3. To make the watermelon sorbet, puree the watermelon, in batches, in a food processor, transferring each batch to a medium bowl. Pour the puree through a sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing the hard solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Stir in the sugar syrup and lime juice. Transfer the watermelon mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the watermelon sorbet to a bowl, cover and place in the freezer.
4. Place your lime sherbert in a medium mixing bowl, add green food coloring if using and beat slightly until softened and spreadable. Using a rubber spatula, spread the lime sherbert inside the bowl, making a ½-inch thick wall. Freeze until completely frozen about 30-40 minutes. Remove from freezer, beat vanilla ice cream slightly until softened and spread an even ¼-inch thick layer over the lime sherbert. Freeze until completely frozen, about 30-40 minutes.
5. Stir the chocolate chips into the watermelon sorbet and pack into the center of the lime-vanilla mold. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; wrap in heavy-duty foil. Freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Remove the foil. Fold back the plastic wrap and invert the bombe onto a serving plate. If it will not come out of the dish, place in a bowl of luke warm water for 30 seconds to loosen. With a serrated knife, cut the bombe into wedges and place on chilled plates. Serve at once and Enoy!

Here are few step by step pictures to guide you through the process of making your own healthy Watermelon Bombe.

Add your GREEN food coloring to your sherbert to make it “greener”.  Then, blend slightly using a mixer.

Using a rubber spatula, spread the lime sherbert inside the bowl, making a ½-inch thick wall. Freeze until completely frozen about 30-40 minutes.  Repeat the process with the vanilla, creating a ¼-inch thick layer.

  

To make your watermelon sorbet, start out by pureeing your cut up watermelon and straining in through your sieve.

 

Freeze according to the ice cream maker's manufacturer’s instructions.  Stir in your mini chocolate chip “seeds”

 

Freeze until solid, 4 hours to overnight.  Invert your bombe onto a plate.

 

Slice into watermelon wedges and enjoy!

 

I LOVED the creamsicle flavors of the lime and vanilla followed up by the cool, slushy watermelon sorbet.  I also thought it was fun to find little chocolate watermelon seeds along the way. 

This is my second and final recipe that I am submitting to the contest.  I will be sure to let you all know if I make the Top 5 with this recipe.  If I do, I will definitely NEED your votes! :) 

I’d LOVE to hear your feedback on this recipe – What do you think?