Gelu i muluni – Watermelon iced dessert

Detail

We call it Gelu i muluni, a typically summery Sicilian spoon dessert. In its most traditional guise, offered in a ceramic bowl, flavoured with a freshly picked jasmine flower and topped with cinnamon powder, it’s one of the best-loved symbols of Sicilian hospitality. On all the terraces or balconies of Sicilian homes, on sultry summer evenings, guests would chat over this eagerly awaited, cool treat. Now, by freezing the watermelon juice, u gelu i muluni is offered all year round.

Preparation:

In the liquid obtained by filtering the watermelon pulp with a sieve, dissolve the starch (cold) taking care not to form lumps. Place over a very low heat and gently bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, add the cinnamon and turn off the heat after about five minutes. Now wet the cups with the water in which the jasmine has been left to rest the night before, and pour in the mixture. Garnish with small slivers of dark chocolate and place in the refrigerator to cool. A freshly picked jasmine in the centre of each cup will complete the presentation.

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LOCATION

Difficulty

Media

Duration of preparation

Ingredients

  • FOR 4 PEOPLE

  • Ripe, sugary watermelon: 500 g

  • Starch for sweets: 40 g

  • Sugar: 100 g

  • Jasmine flowers

  • Cinnamon stick: 2 cm

  • Dark chocolate

  • Unsalted pistachios

Places

Seasons

Summer