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Aromatic mini Watermelon Rinds Fruit Preserve

Aromatic mini Watermelon Rinds Fruit Preserve

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This Watermelon Rinds fruit preserve (in Greek glyko karpouzi), is made using a mini watermelon about the size of a regular football ball.  Some of the flesh has also been left on the rind.

I have already posted the traditional recipe for Glyko Karpouzi a few years ago but here’s a different approach, making it with mini watermelons and more fragrance.

watermelon preserve glyko karpouzi picture

Unfortunately I did not have some pickling lime, so I did not use it this time and as a result, it was not very crunchy.  However,  if you do have pickling lime, you can follow the first steps, shown in my above recipe.

Watermelon karpouzi cut image

Real watermelons from old seeds are deep red in colour, with black seeds and are very aromatic, sweet and delicious.   I would prefer them any time but you rarely find real watermelons any more as the majority of them are grafted from gourds.

However, these huge watermelons, when ripe are quite good in taste but unfortunately here in Greece you have to buy it whole and a big one is around 10 kilos.  

In some supermarkets they do cut watermelons in half but still when shopping at the farmers’ market, I won’t go to the supermarket just to buy some watermelon or if I do, it’s still too much for us now that we are only the two of us.  

Our fridge is small, and apart from the fact that it occupies a shelf by itself, we have to be eating at least a kilo a day to get rid of it before it goes bad.

mini watermelon cut image

In recent years small watermelons have appeared in the Greek market.  These watermelons are much more expensive than their gigantic cousins but for small families, like ours, a small watermelon is  a good solution although it does not compare in taste.

The skin of these mini watermelons is too thin for traditional spoon sweet but when I tried it, I noticed that it was very tender so I decided to give it a try, leaving a small layer of flesh on as well.

In order to make this preserve you need a small watermelon about the size of a regular football.  Leave about ½ cm red flesh on it (see update below).  Watermelon rind is of course tasteless, so add your favourite spices which will be absorbed by the peel.

Collage making Watermelon Karpouzi Glyko image

As you may see in my recipe I used cinnamon and cloves and apart from my favourite fragrant rose geranium, I also added rosewater (or you can use blossom water as well).  

The addition of pomegranate syrup is optional but I added it, as apart from additional flavour, I also wanted to add a little colour to the rind. The result was a very aromatic watermelon preserve but as you may also see, visually it’s much more appealing than the traditional yellowish to green flesh.

Cake with ice cream and watermelon rind preserve image

How to make the Watermelon Rinds fruit preserve

Peel the skin of the water melon and cut it into 1 inch pieces.   

Place in a bowl with water to cover it and add 2/3 of the lemon juice.  Leave it for 3 – 5 hours.

Add water (use the one you soaked the watermelon with lemon juice), sugar, fragrant geranium leaves, cinnamon and cloves in a pot and bring to a boil.  It will take 2 – 3 minutes.

After ten minutes of boiling, remove the cinnamon and cloves and any foam visible on top.  Leave the fragrant geraniums and add the watermelon rind.  It will take 2 – 3 minutes again to come to a boil again.   When it reaches boiling point, add the rosewater, pomegranate syrup and remaining lemon juice and boil for 15 more minutes.   

Leave it on the ceramic stove top until it cools.

*Note:  The cooking process was made on a ceramic stove, which usually continues cooking after you turn off the heat.  If using a different method, like gas for example, you should adjust time of cooking accordingly.

Mini karpouzi glyko watermelon rinds preserve image

Update  2014: This is the first time I made any preserve using a candy thermometre.

Watermelon with thick skin image

This year when I bought a watermelon, its peel with thick, just perfect for making the preserve. I used the same recipe as above, only this time I used a candy thermometre, which I recently bought.

What I did is I put the peels (leaving some of the fruit on) in water with lemon juice for several hours and then used that water in which I added sugar and spices, as above.

I stirred it until the sugar dissolved and cooked the watermelon until I could poke it with a fork and felt soft.

I removed the fruit in a colander and let it drain and put back the syrup in the pot.

I boiled the syrup until it reached 105C / 220F.

Using a candy thermometre to make a fruit preserve image

Taking into consideration that the boiled fruit had already absorbed syrup, by adding it to the set syrup, that syrup would be mixed and make the syrup watery again. So,  I put the fruit back in the pot, which made the temperature drop and  boiled it again, so that the two syrups would be combined. I boiled it again until it reached the above temperature for a second time.

Karpouzi glyko with fragrant geranium image

My conclusions about using a thermometre is that it is useful for someone who has never made preserves before.  As I have been making preserves for many years, I will probably not use it again but surely I will need it for other recipes.

Glyko karpouzi preserve in a plate with a cinnamon stick on top image
Mini watermelon preserve glyko karpouzi picture

Aromatic Mini Watermelon Rinds Fruit Preserve

Yield: 2 kilos
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

In order to make this mini Watermelon Rinds fruit preserve (glyko karpouzi), you need a small watermelon about the size of a regular football ball. Leave about ½ cm red flesh on it.

Ingredients

  • 1 kilo watermelon rind (peeled)
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice (2 juicy lemons) divided
  • 4 fragrant geranium leaves
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • ¼ cup rose water or blossom water
  • ½ cup pomegranate syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel the skin of the water melon and cut it into 1 inch pieces. (Leave about ½ cm red flesh on it).
  2. Place in a bowl with water to cover it and add 2/3 of the lemon juice. Leave it for 3 - 5 hours.
  3. Add water (use the one you soaked the watermelon with lemon juice), sugar, fragrant geranium leaves, cinnamon and cloves in a pot and bring to a boil  It will take 2 - 3 minutes.
  4. After ten minutes of boiling, remove the cinnamon and cloves and any foam visible on top  Leave the fragrant geraniums and add the rosewater, pomegranate syrup and the watermelon rind It will take 2 - 3 minutes again to come to a boil again  When it reaches boiling point, cook for 15 more minutes. Leave it on the ceramic stove top until it cools.
  5. Next morning put it on the heat again and boil for 10 more minutes or until the rind is soft.
  6. Add the remaining lemon juice and let it cool on the ceramic stove completely before storing in sterilized jars.
  7. Serve chilled, as it is with Greek Coffee and a cold cup of water or add it on top of Greek yoghurt, ice cream or puddings.

Notes

The cooking process was made on a ceramic stove, which usually continues cooking after you turn off the heat. If using a different method, like gas for example, you should adjust time of cooking accordingly.

Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 1739Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 73mgCarbohydrates 444gFiber 4gSugar 425gProtein 1g

"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Other relevant recipes:

Karpouzi glyko

Karpouzopita (watermelon cake)

Karpouzi Jelly and Popsicles

Karpouzi Rice Pudding

Collage glyko Karpouzi watermelon rind preserve image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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Natasha ALi

Monday 1st of May 2017

You surely know how to make preserves. What an amazing transformation of the rind...

Glória Hefzibá

Saturday 3rd of August 2013

This looks delicious! Reminds me a lot of some Brazilian desserts!

Heni

Thursday 1st of August 2013

Hi Ivy, Just what I need. I bought this huge watermelon today. I thought about using the rinds too! Cheers!

Juliana

Wednesday 31st of July 2013

I love the idea of watermelon preserve...I never had this...and it sure looks delicious Ivy. Hope you are having a wonderful week :D

Erica

Tuesday 30th of July 2013

I love fresh homemade fruit preserves, Ivy!They are very popular in Colombia! That looks delicious!

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