Icy Strawberries and Melon

Description
Yield: 8 serving

Ingredients

 * ⅔ cup sugar
 * ⅔ cup water
 * 1½ pint baskets fresh California strawberries
 * 1½ cups cantaloupe cubes
 * 2 tablespoons crème de cassis (black currant liqueur), optional
 * Strawberry cream sauce (recipe follows)
 * 1½ cups cantaloupe and/or honeydew melon balls
 * mint sprigs

Strawberry cream sauce

 * ½ basket strawberries
 * ¼ cup whipping cream
 * 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions

 * 1) In small saucepan, stir sugar and water over medium heat to dissolve sugar.
 * 2) Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
 * 3) Cool to room temperature.
 * 4) Stem 1 basket of the strawberries and puree in container of electric blender with the cantaloupe cubes, lemon juice and crème de cassis.
 * 5) Stir in cooled sugar mixture.
 * 6) Pour into shallow bowl and freeze until mixture is firm about 1 inch around edge.
 * 7) Break up with spoon and beat until almost smooth.
 * 8) Cover and freeze several hours until firm.
 * 9) To serve, set aside strawberry cantaloupe ice at room temperature 20 minutes.
 * 10) Spoon 2 tablespoons strawberry cream sauce each into 8 shallow serving dishes.
 * 11) Top with balls, small scoops of strawberry cantaloupe ice and the remaining strawberries, dividing equally.
 * 12) Garnish with mint sprigs.

Strawberry cream sauce

 * 1) Stem strawberries and purée in container of electric blender.
 * 2) Stir in whipping cream and powdered sugar.