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Vanilla-Champagne Soaked Fruit

Source of Recipe


Southern Living



List of Ingredients



• 1 (750-ml) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
  
• ¾ cup sugar
  
• 1 vanilla bean, split
  
• 1 (1-ounce) package fresh mint, chopped
  
• 1 cantaloupe, halved
  
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
  
• 1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
  
• ½ honeydew melon, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
  
• Garnishes: chopped fresh mint, vanilla bean pod
  






Instructions



1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan over high heat; boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved (about 4 to 5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat, and stir in mint. Let stand 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding mint. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into bowl; whisk until blended. Reserve vanilla bean pod for garnish.
   
   
3. Cut one cantaloupe half into 10 thin wedges. Cut 2 thin wedges from remaining half of cantaloupe; reserve remaining cantaloupe for another use. Place cantaloupe, raspberries, orange sections, and honeydew in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish; pour warm syrup over fruit. Cover and chill 3 to 24 hours. Remove fruit from syrup using a slotted spoon. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve syrup with fruit. Garnish, if desired.
   
   Makes 12 servings.