Watermelon is made up of 92% water and is naturally very sweet, so it’s ideal for making healthy ice lollies, granita, slush or sorbet. Here are some super-easy watermelon ice lolly recipes:

Basic watermelon ice lolly

Ingredients:4 cups watermelon flesh, 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice (freshly squeezed), 1 tablespoon honey (optional) Preparation:remove the seeds, chop the flesh coarsely, then blend in a food processor with the lemon juice and honey. Fill lolly moulds and freeze.

Interesting variations

Blueberry: pop a few blueberries into the mould before filling them with the watermelon pulp! Cherry:cut up some pieces of cherries add these to the moulds! Mint: blend the watermelon with some mint leaves and the lemon juice. You can even crumble some feta cheese into the pulp! Cucumber: peel & chop half a cucumber. Blend with the melon and lemon juice. This version requires more honey – about 2 tablespoons. Chocolate:once you’ve filled the moulds with the watermelon pulp, grind up a small bar of chocolate and sprinkle it on the top. Kiwi: fill two-thirds of the moulds with the watermelon pulp, then freeze for 2 hours. Purée 2 kiwis and spoon this over the frozen watermelon in the moulds and add the sticks. Freeze. Chilli:remove the seeds and veins of 1 green chilli, then blend with the watermelon, 2 tsp of lime zest, ¼ cup of lime juice, and 1 or 2 teaspoons of maple syrup.

Alcoholic versions

Margarita: blend 5 cups of seeded and chooped  watermelon with ¼ cup of tequila and 2 tablespoons lime juice (and perhaps 2 teaspoons of agave syrup). Pour into moulds and freeze. Mojito:blend 4 cups of watermelon with 1 cup of mint leaves, ¼ cup of rum, juice of 2 limes and some sugar syrup (to taste). Pour into moulds and freeze. Vodka: blend one kilogram of melon flesh (seeded) with ½ cup mint leaves, then add half a cup of vodka and sugar to taste. Pour into moulds and freeze.

Tips

• Watermelon goes really well with exotic fruits. Based on the kiwi-watermelon recipe – try pineapple, mango or lychee. Or chop these fruits up into small pieces and add to the melon puree.
• The freezing of ice lollies takes about 4-6 hours – or about 10 minutes in a quick pop maker.
• These watermelon ice lolliesare not only lovely and cooling treats, but many of them are healthy too, so they can be eaten in most dieting programs. They’re an ideal snack for kids – much more healthy than ices bought in the shops. The alcoholic versions are perfect for garden parties in the summer – or they finish off a barbecue really well!