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Everyone knows that in the summer you need to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. In winter, they are not always available, so the best option is to use freezing. Melon attracts housewives with its low calorie content and pleasant taste. It is added to cereals and used as an ingredient in desserts. If you freeze the melon in chunks for the winter, you can use it in cooking all year round.
Can melon be frozen
Melon is a large fruit belonging to the pumpkin family. It is distinguished by its oval shape and yellowish color. There is a dense skin on top, inside - pulp with seeds. The product is a source of many substances useful for the human body. It is used in food to strengthen the immune system and restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Melon does not lose its beneficial properties under the influence of subzero temperatures. Therefore, freezing is a great way to extend its shelf life. If you break the freezing rules, the structure of the fruit will change. Therefore, it is important to follow a certain sequence of actions.
Frozen fruit is often used in baked goods, desserts, fruit salads and cooling drinks. It goes well with pear, banana and mint. But most often the product is consumed in its pure form, without additives. Frozen food may taste different from fresh food. But, if the freezing was carried out in accordance with the rules, the difference in taste will be minimal.
What kind of melon can be frozen
Before freezing for the winter, special attention should be paid to melon selection. If you give preference to watery fruits, after defrosting they will get a mushy consistency. It is advisable to take a dense fruit for freezing that has not undergone deformation. The most suitable varieties of product for freezing are:
- Collective farmer;
- Persian;
- Crimea;
- Cantaloupe.
It is advisable not to choose overripe or unripe fruits for freezing. The melon should be fairly soft, but not too watery. There should be no dents or significant damage on the skin. Specimens with a dried tail are considered ripe. If you knock on them, the sound should be muffled. At the same time, even in its entirety, a ripe fruit will exude a characteristic aroma.
Preparing melon for freezing
Before you freeze the melon in slices for the winter, you should prepare it:
- Initially, the peel of the berry is thoroughly cleaned under running water, and then dried with a clean towel.
- The next step is to cut the fruit into two parts.
- Seeds and coarse fibers are removed with a spoon.
- The pulp is separated from the rind with a sharp knife.
- The product is cut into small pieces and placed in a deep container.
They can be frozen in plastic containers or grippers - special zip-lock bags.
How to freeze melon for the winter
There are several ways to freeze melons for the winter. Each of them allows you to get a tasty and healthy treat. The only difference lies in the appearance of the finished product. The most common methods of freezing for the winter include:
- fresh pieces;
- in sugar syrup;
- in powdered sugar;
- in the form of mashed potatoes;
- as a sorbet.
Most often, housewives use the classic method. It is as simple as possible to perform. Freezing melons under a fur coat is no less popular. Sugar syrup, powder or simple sugar are used as an impromptu fur coat. In this case, it is important that the fruit does not juice before it is put in the freezer.
How to freeze melon with fresh slices for the winter
For freezing for the winter, according to the classic recipe, pieces of melon are laid out on a pre-washed wooden plank. A plastic wrap is pre-spread on it. It is important to make sure that the pieces do not come into contact with each other. Otherwise, they will turn into a single mass. In this form, the board is removed into the freezer. It is advisable to cover it on top with a newspaper so that the product does not absorb foreign odors.
After 24 hours, the frozen pieces are removed from the freezer and placed in containers or storage bags.
How to Freeze Melon in Sugar Syrup in the Freezer
To choose a recipe for frozen melon for the winter, you need to understand what it will be used for. If you plan to eat it neat or use it to make desserts, you can freeze the product in sugar syrup. The procurement process is as follows:
- To prepare the syrup, mix water and sugar in equal proportions.
- The next step is to put the ingredients on fire and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- The fruit cut into pieces is poured with the resulting cooled syrup.
- In this form, the product is placed in portioned containers.
If you freeze pieces of melon in an ice maker, you can later use it to add to refreshing cocktails. Another good option is to add melon when making homemade compote.
Melon frozen in powdered sugar
Frozen fruit in powdered sugar is considered an equally interesting recipe. Pieces are laid out on a flat surface of the board, and then abundantly sprinkle each piece with powder. Immediately after this, the product is put into the freezer. If you do not do this in time, the icing sugar will be absorbed, which will make the fruit less aesthetically pleasing.
Freezing melon for the winter in the form of a sorbet
Sorbet is a ready-made frozen dessert based on fruits and berries. Often it is prepared on the basis of melon with the addition of various fillers. Alcoholic varieties of dessert are very popular. For 6 servings of dessert, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. water;
- juice of any citrus to taste;
- 4 tbsp. cubes of melon pulp;
- 1 tbsp. Sahara.
Cooking process:
- Sugar is mixed with water and put on the stove. The syrup is brought to a boil over low heat.
- After complete cooling, the syrup is mixed with melon cubes and citrus juice. The components are ground in a blender to a state of porridge.
- The resulting mass is distributed over the molds, leaving 2 cm to the brim.
- To get the sorbet faster after freezing, sticks for ice cream are inserted into the molds.
The recipe for mint sorbet is very popular. It can be done not only for the winter, but also in the summer. For cooking, you need the following components:
- 1 tbsp. l. lime juice;
- 1 melon;
- 60 ml of water;
- 4 mint leaves;
- 85 g of honey.
Recipe:
- The melon is peeled from seeds and cut into portions.
- Spread out on parchment or plastic wrap, pieces of melon are removed in the freezer for 5 hours.
- All components, along with the melon, are placed in a blender. Since the volume of ingredients is large, the blender will need to be loaded in 3 passes.
- After grinding, the mass is laid out in a deep plastic container with a lid and put into the refrigerator.
- In a day, the product will be completely ready for use.
Melon puree
It is not always convenient for young children to eat frozen melon.Fruit puree in this regard is the most suitable option. Before preparing mashed potatoes for the winter, the melon is thoroughly washed and peeled. The desired consistency is achieved using a blender. It is important that there are no lumps. For ease of use in food, mashed potatoes are recommended to be distributed in portioned containers. It should be frozen in bowls or disposable cups. After a day of freezing, you can take out the hardened puree and pour it into a bag. This will avoid bulkheads and save space in the freezer.
Storage periods
The shelf life of a product is directly related to the temperature used. If it is -5 ° C, then the finished product can be stored no longer than 3 weeks. Freezing at -15 ° C increases shelf life up to 2 months. At a temperature of -20 ° C, the melon can be stored for a whole year. But it is advisable to eat the blanks in the first winter.
Is it possible to freeze melon for the winter: reviews
Conclusion
You can freeze the melon in pieces for the winter in any way. The beneficial properties of freezing will not diminish. But there will be an opportunity to add a twist to the usual desserts. To avoid changing the structure of the fibers, it is necessary to observe all the nuances of freezing.
