Orange Watermelon Jam and Dessert

Miss Eagle has been a bit how's ya father over the last week so my entry for A Fruit a Month is being posted past the due date but here it is anyway. The nominated fruit is watermelon. What do you do with watermelon? My favourite thing is to do them in lovely round balls either on their own or with honeydew and rock melon balls. But an A Fruit a Month entry seemed to require something more. So research was required. Out came the recipe books and this one, a Family Circle book titled Jams, Pickles & Chutneys - hit the jackpot. This Watermelon based entry is actually two recipes. One of the lovely things about this book is that each recipe for a jam or a pickle or a chutney is accompanied by a a recipe for what you can do with the jam or pickle or chutney. So this recipe for Orange Watermelon Jam is accompanied by a recipe for a delightful and yummy dessert. So here they are:

Orange Watermelon Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe watermelon (remove rind and sees)
• 4 cups of sugar
• 1.5 kg oranges
• 1 cup of water

Method:

• Slice watermelon into slivers and measure to make about 1kg of pulp.
• Place in a large bowl with 2 cups of sugar and let stand for 2-3 hours.
• Peel and see enough oranges to make 1kg.
• Slice oranges thinly and set aside.
• Remove white pitch from 2 of the orange peelings
• Cut the rind into thin strips and reserve
• Put watermelon mixture into a heavy based saucepan or boiler.
• Heat to boiling, then simmer, stirring frequently, approx. 50 minutes
• In another large heavy saucepan, dissolve remaining 2 cups of sugar in water.
• Add sliced oranges and reserved strips of rind.
• Heat to boiling, reduce hear and simmer, stirring frequently for 45-50 minutes.
• When both jams have almost thickened to desired consistency, add watermelon jam to orange jam
• Simmer until thickened.
• Remove from heat and stand 5 minutes.
• Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal. When cool, label and date.

Luscious Orange Watermelon Dessert

(pictured above)

Ingredients:

• 600 ml plain yoghurt
• 200 ml Orange Watermelon Jam
• 2 tablespoons of gelatine
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• 2 tablespoons of orange rind
• 300ml thickened cream

Method:

• Combine yoghurt with jam.
• Dissolve gelatine in orange juice.
• Heat juice and gelatine in microwave to dissolve.
• Add to combined yoghurt mixture with grated orange rind
• Allow to partially set
• Whip cream and fold through.
• Spoon into glass serving dishes.
• Chill to set.
• Serve with chilled watermelon slices and orange segments.