Silky Sorbet

I've been known to pride myself on being able to cut out extra steps when making some of my favorite dishes. Heck, at the beginning of September, I'll be showcasing a bunch of no-cook, no-machine ice creams that you'll be proud to serve to friends and family. However, this time around, I'm begging you to take the extra time and effort to pull out your ice cream maker. To make ice cream? No, to make this:

That, my friends, is Watermelon Daiquiri Sorbet and it's so smooth, so tasty, and so simple to scoop into bowls that you'll think you've gone to one of those fancy ice cream parlors and been offered a bit of ambrosia. However, this one's for making at home and only contains four ingredients. That's right: four ingredients. But please don't try to skip the ice cream maker step and just pour the watermelon mixture into a container. The process of making that slushy mixture gives your sorbet the start it needs to be smooth, silky, and simply scoopable.

Now, it should be obvious, but let me be clear: choose beautifully ripe watermelon for this frosty treat. If you go with underripe fruit, you will have a lackluster flavor going on. If it's further along than it ought to be, that off flavor will also make its way into your dessert dish. You don't need any fancy watermelon, but go for one that's perfectly ripe. When in doubt, I use the thump test. Also, I am including the weight of the watermelon required for this recipe and not the volume, because that's a more consistent measurement to use.

Another word to the wise before I leave you to this deliciousness: do not give in to your temptation to add more rum. If you want more rum, drizzle it on when you've served up your sorbet. If the mixture has too much alcohol in it, it simply will not solidify. The amount in this recipe is noticeable, but not a focus of the dish. Again, it could be amped up when you're serving it, but resist that desire to "eyeball" it or add just a bit more than specified. Trust me, you'll be deliciously rewarded!