Sake Watermelon Popsicles

Recipe: Ellen Jackson

Photo: Stephen Jackson

June 29, 2010

Freeze a batch of these watermelon popsicles when you’re ready to graduate from a juicy slice of that old favorite, the soused watermelon. The only thing you’ll miss is spitting the seeds.

Ingredients

Yield:8-10

1 cup granulated sugar (or less, according to sweetness of fruit)
4 lbs. seedless watermelon, cubed
Pinch of salt
1 cup unfiltered sake
2 fresh-squeezed limes

Preparation

Toss watermelon chunks with sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Let sit 15 minutes, or until sugar dissolves. Put half the fruit and its juice in a blender with 1/2 cup sake. Blend until smooth. Strain and repeat with remaining fruit and saké. You should have about 5 cups of purée. Taste the purée and season to taste with lime juice and more salt.

Pour the mixture into molds and freeze for several hours, until hard. The popsicles are best made the morning of the day they’re going to be eaten. Once frozen, they can be removed from their molds and stored in an airtight container with pieces of parchment paper between the layers.