Foodie Fridays: Cool Down with a Granita!
As a kid, I loved my Easy-Bake Oven. Looking back, that probably was a sign of things to come. But during the summer months, I’d have gladly traded that oven for a Snoopy Sno Cone Maker. I mean, really, was there anything better on a sweltering day than a freshly made snow cone — especially when you got to scoop it out with that little red shovel and flavor it up with as much syrup as you wanted?
As an adult, I may not have a snow cone machine in my kitchen, but I might actually have something even better: granitas. A frozen dessert made of sugar, water, and flavorings (or, in this case, fruit juice) originally from Sicily, a granita is a cousin of Italian ice or sorbet, but with a coarser texture. In other words: a snow cone for adults!
The best part of this recipe? It’s cool, easy and surprisingly guilt-free since it’s basically just frozen fruit juice. Dessert that’s good for you? Sign me up!
Pomegranate Granita
3.5 cups pure pomegranate juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
In a four-cup measuring cup, combine all ingredients. Pour into a 9×9 inch baking dish and place carefully into the freezer. Freeze for approximately four hours. When completely frozen, use a fork to scrape the granita into snow cone consistency. Spoon into serving dishes and serve immediately.
Yield: 6-8 servings
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You had me at the photo. Definitely going to make these. I wonder how ginger ale would be added to this – does that not freeze well?
Toni — ginger ale freezes fine (I’ve used it as ice for a punch bowl)… I’m thinking it would be great. Of course, you could always half the recipe and make a tester. I’ve been fantasizing how I can add alcohol.
As soon as you said alcohol I thought of the granita filling up a glass and pouring a smidgen over it. It shouldn’t make it melt too quickly and would make the fluid exceptionally cool.
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