Summer’s Heat Escape with Watermelon Granita
Icy Frozen Watermelon Granita
Too Hot In The Kitchen?
Let’s face it Washingtonians, the summer of 2022 is hot Hot HOT! Is the summer sizzle of 2022 setting the stage for you to escape the heat? Do you want to heat up your kitchen by turning on the oven? Or do you want to enjoy something deliciously cool already in your freezer? If you are anything like me you probably want that treat Right Now!
Caterer leftovers
I serve a tremendous amount of fresh fruit with Teatime Delicacies, Inc. Catering By Teatime is a full service catering firm serving Washington DC and the Northern Virginia community. https://www.cateringbyteatime.com
We often have leftover melons, berries, and all sorts of cut fruits. What better way to utilize these items than to puree an turn into a granita.
Granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. Originally from Sicily, it is available throughout Italy in varying forms. It is related to sorbet and Italian ice; however, in most of Sicily, it has a smoother, more crystalline texture
. Granita is a frozen fruit dessert made from fresh fruit and water, blended and frozen until icy, flaked with a fork and frozen again. The result is a delightfully crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth fruit ice, perfect eating all on its own. When served on everything from yogurt to cocktails, it becomes a complete game-changer.
This three-ingredient dessert can be made with any fruit in nearly any kitchen. Here are the basics you’ll need to know for making granita with any fruit at home.
Basic Granita Recipe
4 cups cubed Fruit (I use watermelon and frozen raspberries)
1/4 cup flavorful liquid (I use fresh lime juice and the zest of the fresh lime)
1/4 cup of sugar
handful of mint to taste
What to do next?
Toss all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until it resembles a smoothie taking care not to over process. Scrape the contents into a metal 9 x 13″ baking pan, smooth, and set into the freezer for approx 30-45 minutes until just the top and sides are starting to freeze. Using a dinner fork, scrape the contents until broken up and looks like a slushy. Set back into the freezer and repeat the process several more times. It may take up to 2-3 hours to complete, but dear god it’s worth every minute. Let it set up for 3-4 hours before serving. This will last for several weeks left in the freezer if you keep it covered with plastic.
And then it was time to indulge
Once frozen you can enjoy this frozen bliss straight up or with a dollop of whipped cream. If Catering By Teatime was providing this at your next party or wedding reception we might offer it with a shot of tequila poured over at the last minute. Here’s looking at you, kid! Contact Catering By Teatime for your next catered event teatime@teatimeinc.com