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The Versatile Watermelon: Pizza and Cake Recipes

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September 20, 2015

I adore watermelon. Not only is it delicious on a warm day, each bite has significant levels of vitamins A, B6 and C, lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids! Instead of just slicing and salting it, why not try a couple of fun recipes with your favorite melon?   A Pizza from Cooking Light and a cake from Huffington Post.

Watermelon Pizza

Courtesy Cooking Light.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sliced red onion
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (3/4 inch thick) slice of seedless watermelon (from a 9 inch diameter watermelon)
  • 1 ounce creamy blue cheese, crumbled (about ¼ cup)
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons small basil leaves

Directions

  1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
  2. Combine onion, vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes or until onion is softened, tossing occasionally.
  3. Combine 2 teaspoons brining and 2 teaspoons olive oil, stirring with a whisk. Drain onion and discard remaining liquid.
  4. Brush olive oil mixture onto both sides of watermelon slice.
  5. Grill watermelon 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until well-marked and juicy.
  6. Place on a serving platter or cutting board.
  7. Top the watermelon evenly with pickled onions, blue cheese and pecans. Sprinkle with basil.
  8. Cut into 8 wedges and serve up while it is still a little warm.

Black Star Pastry’s Strawberry and Watermelon Cake

Edited from recipe on MSN.

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup seedless watermelon, thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp rose water
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1/5 cup almond meal
  • 2 cups strawberries, quartered
  • 10 seedless grapes, halved
  • 1 tbsp chopped pistachios, raw and shelled

 For Almond Dacquoise

  • 2/3 cup ground almonds
  • 2/3 cup icing sugar
  • 5 egg whites
  • A little less than 2/3 cup caster sugar

Rose Scented Cream

  • 1 1/4 cup thickened cream
  • 1/8 cup caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp rosewater

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
  2. Process the almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks (around 3 to 4 minutes).
  4. Add the caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form (around 1 to 2 minutes).
  5. Gently fold through almond mixture, spread on a 30 cm by 40 cm oven tray lined with baking paper and bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  6. Set aside to cool on a tray, then cut in half, lengthways.
  7. Arrange the watermelon slices in a single layer on a wire rack. Sprinkle with 1 1/3 tbsp rosewater then scatter 2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand to macerate for 30 minutes then pat dry with absorbent paper.
  8. Meanwhile, for the rose scented cream, whisk the cream and sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add the rosewater and whisk until stiff peaks form (do not overwhisk).
  9. Spread 1/3 of the rose cream evenly over the half dacquoise, scatter half the almond meal, then layer the watermelon, the remaining almond meal, then spread over half the remaining cream. Top with the remaining dacquoise, spread over the remaining cream and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours until firm.
  10. Combine the strawberries, remaining rosewater and remaining sugar in a bowl, toss to combine and set aside to macerate (around 15 minutes). Carefully arrange on top of the cake, gently pushing into the cream. Trim the edges of the cake, scatter over the grapes, pistachios and serve. (Optional – 1 tablespoon dried rose petals to spread over the cake as well.)

I decided to use a large cookie cutter and cut everything into a circle.  Watermelon is a very versatile fruit and light enough to be perfect for those last few days of summer.

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