If you’ve never had a Melon with Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce, well, friends, you may be missing out. There’s nothing better for dessert when it’s hot outside, and everybody just loves it.
Summertime is the best time, isn’t it?
There are melons in all the farmers markets and grocery stores, just waiting to be eaten.
This is an easy and absolutely delicious recipe – Melon with Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce!
TIPS ON CHOOSING A GOOD MELON
- Use all your senses when picking out a ripe melon: sight, smell, touch and sound. If it’s a watermelon, a hollow sound is good.
- Often you can ask to taste the melons first, especially if you’re at a farmer’s market.
- Seek a filled-out, rounded melon, with no bruises or soft parts.
- The heavier the melon, the juicier it is.
- A musky aroma and skin that’s easy to depress lightly with your finger are signals your melon is ripe and ready to eat!
MELON FUN FACT ALERT!
Who knew that melons are relatives of squashes and cucumbers!
This doesn’t make any sense to me at all, but melons come in many delicious varieties.
I’m SO IN LOVE with the small, heirloom kind at the Farmer’s Market right now.
If you ever come across a French Charentais, be sure to give it a try.
You can thank me later 🙂
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been eating peaches from the Farmer’s Market that taste like perfume, and almond milk yogurt with sliced figs and honey too.
SO AMAZINGLY good.
Summertime is my favorite for desserts with fresh fruit, and Melon with Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce is an old-timey favorite.
I first had this at a friends house when I was a kid. They were from Iowa, and really knew their produce if you know what I mean.
Adding a big, delicious scoop of vanilla ice cream to the hollowed out center of a juicy, sweet melon– eaten with a spoon on a hot summer day?
Wow and WOW.
LET’S TALK ICE CREAMS AND CARAMEL SAUCE, IN THAT ORDER
Yes, you can use full fat vanilla, but with so many nut milk ice creams to choose from, everyone wins.
Nobody has to miss out on this summery treat because they don’t eat dairy.
My very favorite is any vanilla bean almond milk variety, but vanilla coconut milk ice cream is super tasty too.
Then just cut a big, ripe cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds, and scoop in the ice cream.
Done and done.
IS CARAMEL SAUCE HARD TO MAKE?
No.
But.
Read through the recipe first. (always, always.)
And! My personal belief is that caramel sauce added to absolutely anything cannot be bad.
It’s basically three easy steps, four if you count cooling time:
- Cook the honey, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to the boil
- Keep stirring and cooking until it turns a nice, golden brown
- Add in the cream, butter, salt and vanilla and whisk it all together (carefully, it can splatter!)
And hey, if you don’t have time, just buy a jar of best-quality caramel sauce to drizzle on top instead.
I promise it will be just as delicious.
A jar of best-quality store-bought caramel sauce works great if you’re short on time
HOW DO I SERVE MELON WITH ICE CREAM AND CARAMEL SAUCE?
What’s amazing and obvious here is the melon naturally comes with it’s own perfect little bowl—when you remove the seeds of course—making way for a big, cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Start by putting the cleaned out melons on a big platter, or portion them in individual bowls.
TIP ALERT: Slice off a small piece of the outside skin side, just opposite the bowl. This will allow the melon to sit level on whatever serving dish you choose.
Next, drizzle on the dreamy, amazing caramel sauce.
A couple of tablespoons, plus more for serving on the side, just in case 🙂
I love to present these beauties on a big platter with some spoons alongside, and then wait for the compliments to roll in.
You’ll be the most popular person at the cookout or pool party–let me know how you like it!
Hope you’re out there squeezing in some summertime fun!
HERE’S A COUPLE MORE SUMMER FRUIT RECIPES TO TRY:
Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER
MELON WITH ICE CREAM AND CARAMEL SAUCE
Ingredients
- Serves 4
- 2 medium sized cantaloupe
- 4 1/2 cup scoops vanilla ice cream or nut milk ice cream
- Caramel Sauce
- About 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves optional garnish
- FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- PREPARE THE MELONS
- Cut each melon in half and remove the seeds with a spoon
- Scoop vanilla ice cream (or nut milk, if using) in the center of each melon half
- Spoon 2 tablespoons (or more, if you'd like) of caramel sauce over the melon and ice cream, and garnish with fresh basil (if desired).
- PREPARE THE CARAMEL SAUCE
- Combine honey, water, sugar in a medium sized nonstick saucepan, and stir with a wooden spoon on medium high heat until everything is dissolved
- Continue cooking on medium as the mixture comes to the boil, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until deep golden brown, about 5-6 minutes
- Remove pan from the heat and using a whisk, add the cream, butter, salt and vanilla (careful, it may splatter a little) and continue whisking until combined.
- Cool the caramel for 10-15 minutes before serving, or keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- You can use other varieties of melon, but honeydew and watermelon might be too sweet and too watery, respectively.
- No time to make the caramel sauce? Buy a good quality salted caramel sauce at the grocery store! Just scoop some in a heatproof bowl and microwave until it's soft enough to pour
- Note the nutrition calculation here is for full-fat vanilla ice cream. This will vary depending on the brand and type of ice cream or nut milk ice cream you use.
- Leftover caramel sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. Be sure to seal it securely - I use a small Ball canning jar with a lid.
- This recipe for Melon with Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce was originally published 8/12/2018 and has been updated.
Nutrition
SOURCE: STUDIO DELICIOUS
Kara
August 9, 2019 at 11:18 am
Jen
August 9, 2019 at 11:36 am
lauren kelly
August 9, 2019 at 1:33 pm
Paige
August 18, 2019 at 9:23 am
Laura Reese
August 9, 2019 at 4:01 pm