Rosewater Melon Balls

How easy and pretty is this? That's a rhetorical question, by the way.

If you need an answer, then it's 'Very. And very'.

I was inspired by a suitably glamorous picture in the December issue of Gourmet Traveller that showed a perfectly hollowed-out watermelon with perfectly spherical balls of watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew. And a perfectly-placed sprig of greenery on top, just so.

Well, I thought, two can play at that game, but one of them isn't me.  I mean, I try really hard and all, but I'm quite timid when it comes to hacking into a large, hefty fruit with a sharp knife.  So my watermelon is a bit lopsided (let's just say it's charmingly asymmertical).  The melon balls, though, are so adorably, mouthwateringly, refreshingly CUTE!

Melon Balls with Rosewater Syrup

serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 medium watermelon

1/2 rockmelon

2 nectarines

Rosewater syrup

1 cup water

1 cup white caster sugar

1 tblsp rosewater (or more to taste)

Method

1.  To make the rosewater syrup: place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the rosewater and taste and add more rosewater if desired.  Set the syrup aside to cool.

2.  Remove the seeds from the rockmelon, then use a melon baller to carve balls from the watermelon and rockmelon and place into a large bowl.  Smooth out the insides of the watermelon with a spoon.

3.  Cut the nectarines into thin slices and add to the bowl.  Chill the fruit in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

4.  Pour the cooled rosewater syrup over the fruit and mix together gently.  Transfer the fruit to the hollowed watermelon to serve.

Ingredients, including lopsided watermelon, rockmelon and nectarines. You could also use honeydew melon.

I love 'my' melon baller (appropriated from my mother when she wasn't looking).

Also added some pomegranate seeds for crunch

And some colourful mint leaves

This dessert really is sweet and pretty. And don't forget, easy!