Vanilla-Champagne Soaked Fruit

By MJH

Ingredients

• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 (1-oz.) package fresh mint, chopped
• 1 cantaloupe, halved
• 1 pt. fresh raspberries
• 1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
• Garnishes: chopped fresh mint, vanilla bean pod
• Time-saver tip: Substitute 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin orange segments for the fresh orange.

Details

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 3-qt. 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.

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.

Cut 1 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.

*1 Tbsp. vanilla extract may be substituted. Stir in with mint.
Note: Be sure to scrub cantaloupe rind with a vegetable brush before cutting into wedges.