Watermelon Pudding

Stemmed cup with watermelon pudding topped with whipped cream and garnished with crushed pistachios and chocolate shavings

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5 from 1 vote

Easy summer dessert!

Prep Time15

Cook Time7

Chilling Time4

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Carolyn Hetke

Ingredients

4 cups watermelon pieces
2 tablespoon cornstarch see variation below for gelatin version
¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp
½ teaspoon fennel seeds optional
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup whipping cream
3 tablespoon Pernod optional
2 tablespoon pistachios for garnish crushed
2 tablespoon grated chocolate for garnish preferably good quality dark chocolate

Instructions

Watermelon Pudding

Blend the watermelon well. Strain puree through a fine sieve and discard any solids.
Add 2 Tbsps cornstarch to a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Remove 2 Tablespoons of watermelon juice and pour over the cornstarch. Shake very well to remove all lumps. Set aside.
Bring the remaining watermelon juice, ¼ cup of sugar and fennel seeds to a boil in a saucepan over medium/high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Shake the cornstarch jar again and whisk in to the saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in lemon juice.
Remove from heat and pour mixture through a fine sieve into a serving bowl or 4 individual cups. Discard solids. Cover and chill about 4 hours to allow pudding to set.

Toppings

Beat cream with 1 teaspoon of sugar ( and Pernod if using) until medium peaks form. Crush pistachios and grate a bit of dark chocolate.
Spoon or pipe whipped cream on top of the pudding and sprinkle with pistachio crumbs and chocolate shavings.
Pudding will keep in the fridge about 2 days.

Notes

Variation: For a more gelled consistency use gelatin to thicken the pudding.

Take 3 cups of strained watermelon puree and reserve remaining puree for another user.

Sprinkle 28 grams unflavoured gelatin over ¼ cup of the watermelon puree and set aside for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the lemon juice and icing sugar (omit fennel seeds) to the remaining 2 ¾ cups of puree. Heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture.

Divide among 4 serving cups. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours at least. Will keep covered in the fridge for a couple of days. Proceed with toppings when ready to serve.

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