Almond Granita Recipes

AUTHENTIC SICILIAN GRANITA AL LIMONE

Steps:

• Pour water and sugar into a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar melts; do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat when the sugar has completely dissolved and the water is no longer cloudy. Add lemon juice and stir until combined. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Pour into a freezer-safe dish that has a tight lid. Cover and put into the freezer until it begins to freeze around the edges, but is still slushy in the center, about 45 minutes.
• Lightly stir the crystals from the edge of the granita mixture into the center using a fork and mix thoroughly. Replace the lid. Close the freezer and chill until granita is nearly frozen, 30 to 40 more minutes.
• Mix lightly with a fork as before, scraping the crystals loose. Repeat freezing and stirring with the fork 3 to 4 times until crystals are separate and the granita is light, dry, and fluffy.
• Serve each portion with 1/2 of a lemon wheel and fresh lemon zest on top.

ALMOND GRANITA

Steps:

• In a blender, combine all ingredients and process to a puree. Strain into a stainless steel pan and freeze.
• To serve: scrape ice with fork and spoon and place about 4 ounces in a serving glass. Serve immediately.
• In a stockpot, bring milk to a slow boil. Stir in almond meal and whole almonds. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pan, and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.
• Uncover, and using an immersion blender, process to puree whole almonds. Strain through a fine strainer lined with a dampened cheesecloth. Stir in flavoring and sugar. Chill over bowl of ice.
• Yield: 2 quarts

LEMON GRANITA

Steps:

• Clean and wash the lemons. Cut off the top 1/4 of the lemons and shave a small slice off the bottom so it stands easily.
• Using a grapefruit knife, cut out the flesh of the lemon and place in a strainer set over a bowl. Be careful not to cut through the bottom. Stand the lemons on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer and freeze until solid.
• Press the flesh of the lemons through the strainer to extract all of the juice. You should end up with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice. Add the water to the lemon juice. Stir in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is of desired sweetness. Add the thyme and limoncello and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Strain the mixture into a roasting pan or baking dish. The dish should be large enough so the liquid is not more than 1-inch deep. Freeze the mixture for 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and scrape with 2 forks to break up ice. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid, about 2 to 3 hours, scraping with forks every hour or so.
• When the granite is frozen, scoop it into the frozen lemon shells and serve immediately.

ALMOND GRANITA

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine 4 cups of water, the almond paste and milk. As it heats, use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to crush and dissolve the paste. When the mixture begins to steam -- before it boils -- take it off the heat. Let cool slightly, then carefully whiz with an immersion blender until the paste is fully incorporated. Pour into a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. Let drain completely, without pressing the solids.
• When cool, add a pinch of cinnamon. Pour into a shallow baking pan, and freeze. Check after about 30 minutes; when it begins to get icy, use the back of a large spoon to press down on the mixture and break it into pieces. Repeat several times over the next 2 hours, until the granita is fully frozen but broken into shards. To serve, place 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed amaretti cookies in the bottom of a glass, followed by a serving of granita, and top with 2 more tablespoons crushed cookies.

ALMOND-MILK GRANITA (GRANITA DI MANDORLE)

Steps:

• Blend together almond paste, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water in a blender until smooth, foamy, and white. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch square baking pan, reserving any solids in sieve. Add remaining 1/2 cup water to solids in sieve and whisk over baking pan until most of water passes through (do not press on solids).
• Stir mixture, then freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, until firm but not frozen hard, 2 to 3 hours. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps.