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Freshly churned melon ice cream clinging to an ice cream maker paddle, showing its thick, creamy texture.

THE LIKE-A-PRO ICE CREAM

Melon Ice Cream
(Honeydew version)
• with xanthan gum •

With fresh melon, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and xanthan gum.

This honeydew melon ice cream is all about achieving the perfect balance of fresh, vibrant melon flavor and smooth, creamy texture. The melon flavor is pushed to its fullest, without compromising the creaminess, thanks to xanthan gum.

The melon and dairy are prepared separately the day before, chilled overnight in the fridge to allow the xanthan gum to hydrate. This process ensures the melon stays fresh, preventing oxidation and keeping the ice cream from turning grey. Just before churning, the two mixtures are blended together, creating a smooth, well-balanced ice cream.

Although more xanthan gum than usual is added, it performs impressively, resulting in a texture that holds up well in the freezer. To get the best flavor, make sure the melon is ripe and flavorful, as the ice cream’s taste depends on the flavor of the melon.

More to explore:

all xanthan gum
ice cream recipes
The ingredients

Do not reduce or replace anything; everything is there for a reason.

• Fresh Melon: Use a ripe, in-season melon for the best flavor—local if possible. A good melon should be fragrant, so make sure to check for that sweet, inviting smell. Since the melon is the star of the recipe, quality is key—choose the best one you can find for the freshest, most vibrant flavor.

• Xanthan gum can be found in speciality shops, health food stores, and online. You can read more about it here.

• Sugar: Use regular white granulated sugar for this recipe. Other sweeteners, whether natural or artificial, liquid or powdered, like honey, stevia, golden syrup, or confectioner’s sugar, are not recommended. If you decide to experiment with substitutes for dietary reasons, keep in mind that reducing or replacing the sugar may lead to a more icy or melty texture.

• Milk: use whole milk, with around 3,5% fat. Do not substitute with skimmed milk (lower fat) or non-dairy milk. You need the fat, milk proteins and lactose that whole milk contains for this ice cream recipe.

• Heavy cream: For this recipe, you can use heavy cream with 35% and up to 36% fat content. It is also OK to use heavy cream suitable for whipping or ultra-pasteurised cream, if it has the right fat content (35-36% fat). Do not use low-fat or non-dairy cream, the ice cream will be icy.

• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is used to preserve the color and enhance the flavor of the melon. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best choice for the freshest taste.

Watch us making it
The recipe

Melon Ice Cream | with xanthan gum

Print recipe
  • Special equipment: ice cream maker, blender
  • Yields: 1.3 litre/quart ice cream
  • Makes: 1.2 liters (quarts) of ice cream mixture (before churning), ideal for 1.5–2 liter (quart) ice cream makers.
Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon = 15 ml | 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
Notes:

When making ice cream, it’s best to weigh all your ingredients—even the liquids. We also recommend weighing liquids directly into your bowl or pan as you follow the recipe, rather than measuring them in a separate container and transferring them. This helps avoid small but unnecessary losses during transfer.

If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use the following guidelines:

• 1 cup (US) = 237 ml
• 1 tablespoon = 15 ml

Sugar: Measuring sugar by tablespoons is more accurate than using cups. Use a proper 15 ml measuring tablespoon—not a regular spoon. One level tablespoon equals about 13 grams of sugar. To measure accurately, level off each scoop with the flat side of a knife.

Milk and heavy cream: When measuring liquids by volume, always use a rubber spatula to thoroughly scrape any residue left in the measuring cup. This ensures you’re using the full amount.

Please note: the metric, imperial, and volume measurements provided in our recipes

This recipe yields 1.2 liters (1.2 quarts) of ice cream mixture before churning, making it ideal for ice cream makers with a capacity of 1.5 to 2 liters (quarts), such as Cuisinart models.

To adjust the batch size, use the following ingredient ratios by weight based on your desired total mixture weight:

  • Fresh melon: 41.55%
  • Heavy cream: 23.7%
  • Whole milk: 16.6%
  • Sugar: 16.65%
  • Lemon juice: 1.25%
  • Xanthan gum: 0.25%; to divide by half

For example, to prepare a 1000 g (approx. 1 liter) batch of ice cream mixture, you’ll need:

  • Fresh melon: 1000 g × 41.55% = 415 g

  • Heavy cream: 1000 g × 23.7% = 237 g
  • Milk: 1000 g x 16.6% = 166 g

  • Sugar: 1000 g × 16.65% = 167 g

  • Lemon juice: 1000 g × 1.25% = 13 g

  • Xanthan gum: 1000 g × 0.25% = 2.5 g

You can scale the recipe up or down using the same percentages based on the capacity of your ice cream maker.

A rubber spatula isn’t just for scraping—it’s your best tool for stirring ice cream bases the right way.

Use it for:
✔ Scraping the bottom of the saucepan when heating milk or sugar
✔ Mixing evenly, especially when combining thick ingredients like hazelnut butter
✔ Getting every last bit out of bowls, pans, and blenders—no waste, no shortcuts

⚠️ Inadequate stirring = uneven mixture = poor texture after churning.
Good stirring gives you a smooth, even base—and better ice cream.

Don’t have a spatula?
Get a heat-resistant, flexible rubber spatula. It’s a small tool that makes a big difference—and you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it.

Instructions
Plan ahead:

The ice cream mixture needs to cool completely and hydrate before churning, so prepare it in advance (approx. 8 hours before) to give it time to chill in the refrigerator. 

If your ice cream maker has a removable freezer bowl, put it in the freezer for the whole time indicated by the manufacturer before churning, usually 24 hours.

Step 1: Prepare the melon and dairy

Prepare the melon:

Blend the melon: Make sure the melon is at room temperature to get the most out of the xanthan gum. Cut the melon (500 g / 17.6 oz) into small pieces to make blending easier. Add the lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and blend until completely smooth.

Thicken with the xanthan gum: With the blender running, sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the blending melon. Blend for 2 minutes to allow the xanthan gum to hydrate.

Pour into a container: Pour the blended melon into a container, scraping along with the rubber spatula all the residues from the blender. 

 

Prepare the dairy:

Heat the milk and sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk (200 g / 7.1 oz) and sugar (200 g / 7.1 oz).

Pour the cold heavy cream (285 g; 10.1 oz) into the blender’s jug pour the cold heavy cream into the blender jug (jug should be rinsed and wiped dry after blending the melon), having it ready to use, along with the xanthan gum—you’ll need to work quickly once the milk is hot.

Bring the milk to a boil: Heat the milk over medium-high heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the sugar dissolves. Bring the milk to a boil (about 95°C / 203°F; watch carefully as it may overflow), then remove from heat.

Pour into the heavy cream: Pour the boiling-hot milk into the blender with the heavy cream and turn on the blender.

Add the xanthan gum: With the blender on, sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the blending mixture; blend for 2 minutes.

Pour into the bowl: Pour the mixture into a bowl, scraping down any residues from the blender.

Step 2: Chill in the fridge overnight

Cool down the dairy: If the dairy mixture is warm, cool it down over an ice bath.

Chill until completely cold: Cover both of the containers (the one with the melon and the other with the dairy) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Xanthan gum needs 6-8 hours in the refrigerator to fully develop.

Step 3: Finish the ice cream mixture

Note: To prevent oxidation of the melon, this step should be done right before churning.

Combine the melon and dairy mixtures: Gradually add the melon mixture to the dairy mixture in two additions, stirring with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to remove any residues.

Blend with an immersion blender, pausing once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step 4: Churn the ice cream

Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Churn: With the machine running, pour the cold ice cream mixture through the canister and into the ice cream maker. Leave to churn until fluffed up and creamy; depending on your ice cream maker, this can take anywhere from 30-70 minutes. 

This ice cream mixture expands and becomes airy as it churns. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks smooth, creamy, and slightly wavy—similar to soft-serve ice cream. Churning time varies depending on your machine and can take anywhere from 30 to 70 minutes.

To check the texture, lift a spoonful. It should be thick enough to stay on the spoon, but still soft. If it looks too thin or starts melting immediately, it needs more time.

If you’re unsure, let it churn for 10 more minutes. Keep in mind that it won’t look like store-bought ice cream at this point—it will still be soft. It only becomes firm and scoopable after a few hours in the freezer.

Stop the machine once the mixture is thick and creamy. If you continue churning beyond that point, the mixture can start losing the air it has built up and may seize, resulting in a dense, heavy texture.

One important note: some ice cream makers are programmed to stop automatically after a fixed time, but that doesn’t always mean the ice cream is ready. If your machine stops and the mixture still looks too soft, simply restart it and continue churning until the texture improves.

 

Step 4: Put the ice cream in the freezer to set

Put in the freezer to set: before serving the ice cream or moving it to a container for storing, you have to put it in the freezer to set. To do so, turn off the ice cream maker and: 

· remove the removable freezer bowl (still filled with the ice cream) from the ice cream machine
· remove the paddle, scraping any ice cream attached to it back into the ice cream bowl 
· place it in the freezer, uncovered
Setting time depends on many factors; see notes below for indicative times.

Serve or store: when it sets, you can serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.

The setting time depends on the type of ice cream maker you’re using. Here are the general guidelines:

3–5 hours for machines with removable freezer bowls (these bowls must be pre-frozen before churning)

Under 1 hour for machines with built-in compressors and aluminum bowls
⚠️ Important: Ice cream in aluminum bowls sets quickly. Do not leave it for too long—once fully frozen, it can become extremely hard and difficult to remove without risking scratches to the bowl. Always monitor it closely.

To check if the ice cream is ready, aim for an internal temperature of –11°C (12°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, use this simple test:

Insert a round-tip knife all the way to the bottom of the ice cream:
✔ If it goes in smoothly but meets gentle resistance, it’s ready
✖ If it feels hard on top but soft underneath, it needs more time
✖ If it’s too firm to insert the knife, it’s over-frozen and likely too hard to scoop

If it’s over-frozen, don’t worry—head to the next section for how to bring it back to scoopable.

If the ice cream sits in the freezer in the removable freezer bowl for too long after it has set, it can become too hard to scoop or remove.

To make it scoopable again:
Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the ice cream to soften gradually.

Here’s how long that may take:

4–10 hours for removable freezer bowls (pre-freeze models)

1–2 hours for aluminum bowls (from compressor ice cream makers)

Note: These times are approximate and may vary depending on your fridge and the amount of ice cream. Check the texture occasionally as it softens.

Once the ice cream is soft enough to scoop—or its internal temperature reads approximately –11°C (12°F)—you can:

✔ Transfer it to another container and store it in the freezer
✔ Or serve it directly from the bowl

Just be sure to avoid digging into an over-frozen bowl with hard utensils, especially if using a nonstick-coated or aluminum bowl.

Straight after churning, the ice cream has a soft-serve consistency and melts almost instantly on contact. At this stage, it’s too soft to serve neatly or transfer easily—it’s simply too messy to handle.

Freezing the ice cream immediately after churning allows it to set properly. This step brings it to the right texture: scoopable, stable, and easy to portion or transfer into a storage container.

It’s the final step that turns churned ice cream into finished ice cream.

Storing and serving

Storing: Transfer the finished ice cream to a lidded container and store it in the freezer for up to one month.
Cover it well to protect it from absorbing any unwanted freezer smells.

Scooping: Like all artisanal-style ice creams, this one freezes hard over time.
To make it scoopable again, place the container in the refrigerator for 45–60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about –11°C (12°F).
Once softened, it’ll scoop cleanly and serve beautifully.

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