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Food /
Italian Recipes
Dec 20
reading time 2 min

In Cucina: Gelo di Melone al Gelsomino

(Jasmine-Infused Watermelon Pudding)

by ITALY SEGRETA TEAM

This refreshing Sicilian dessert takes summer’s best fruit–watermelon–and transforms it into a luscious pudding, often eaten around midsummer holidays like Ferragosto.

Dating back to the 9th century when the island was under Arab rule, the recipe bears markers of Arab tradition in both flavor–evident through ingredients like jasmine and pistachios, commonly used in the Middle East—and texture, reminiscent of Persian desserts such as Faludhaj and Turkish delight.

While “melone” technically encompasses all melons–and colloquially is used just to mean cantaloupe–this dessert is only made with watermelon. (The name comes from the Sicilian dialect for the fruit–muluna or muluni.)

The only tricky part of this preparation is thickening the watermelon juice: be sure to add the cornstarch slowly and at low heat; you can always add more as needed. Individual servings in small cups makes for a more fun presentation (we’re partial to champagne coupes if we’re feeling glamorous). This recipe is for the most traditional gelo, but feel free to experiment with adding flavors into the juice like clove, vanilla, or cinnamon. 

This recipe comes courtesy of the Duchess of Palma, Nicoletta Lanza Tomasi, who manages the Butera 28 Apartments in Palermo and who offers cooking classes in a splendid eighteenth-century palazzo on the sea. The palace is the ancestral home of Prince Giuseppe Tomasi of Lampedusa, the famed author of the novel Il Gattopardo, of whom Nicoletta is the daughter in law. 

 

GELO DI MELONE AL GELSOMINO

Serves 6 | Takes 20 minutes, plus steeping and cooling time

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 watermelon (2.5 – 3kg), flesh deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 handful of jasmine flowers, plus some for decoration (optional)
  • 75g cornflour
  • 150-200g of sugar, depending on the sweetness of the watermelon
  • 100g dark chocolate chips or shards of finely chopped dark chocolate
  • Chopped pistachios, optional

 

PREPARATION

  1. Push your chopped watermelon flesh through a fine-mesh sieve or process in a blender until smooth. Measure out 1 L of juice. (If you have extra juice, save, chill, and serve with mint for a refreshing drink.)
  2. Put the juice in a large bowl with the jasmine flowers and let steep for a few hours. Then remove and discard the flowers.
  3. Pour the juice into a saucepan, add the sugar to taste, and whisk in the cornflour. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens. After one minute, remove from the heat. 
  4. Pour into a large glass bowl or individual ramekins, and let cool. Once cooled, refrigerate until it is set and cold.
  5. Before serving, garnish with jasmine flowers, chocolate chips (so as to imitate the watermelon seeds), and pistachios, if using.