Skim Milk Granita Recipes

SIMPLE FRUIT JUICE GRANITA

Steps:

• Mix sugar and water together in a glass, microwave-safe, 8x8-inch dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Mix with a fork until all sugar is dissolved. Stir in juice.
• Freeze for 1 hour. Scrape mixture with a fork. Return to the freezer in increments of 30 minutes, scraping with a fork to create small granules after each one. The granita is ready when it resembles icy sand, about 3 hours total.

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.

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.

CREAMY MELON GRANITA

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine melon with condensed milk, lime or lemon juice, and salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish; freeze until firm. Before serving, scrape with a fork until it has the texture of shaved ice.

MINTED CITRUS GRANITA

Steps:

• Place 8- or 9-inch square glass baking dish in freezer to chill. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup of the soymilk and the sugar just to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add tea bags and push into soymilk mixture; let stand 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.
• Stir in remaining 2 cups soymilk, the orange peel and lemon peel until well blended. Pour into chilled dish; freeze 30 minutes. When ice crystals begin to form at edges of dish, stir mixture with fork. Freeze about 3 hours longer, stirring every 30 minutes, until completely frozen.
• To serve, scoop into individual dessert bowls. Garnish with mint leaves.

SKIM MILK GRANITA

Steps:

• Place ingredients in blender (or deep and narrow container for the immersion blender).
• Blend on high in a five second burst and then move the larger cubes closer to the blade.
• Repeat the five second bursts until the cubes are chopped into fine grains.
• Pour in a glass and add a straw and/or spoon.

COCONUT-LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• Place an 8-inch square baking dish in the freezer to chill while you make the simple syrup.
• Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and syrup is at a gentle boil. Remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool..
• Pull the chilled baking dish out of the freezer, and pour the coconut milk into the dish. You may need to whisk it to smooth out any lumps.
• Whisk in the simple syrup, lime zest, lime juice and fresh coconut until well combined. Place the dish in the freezer, and let it chill for 1 hour.
• Pull it out of the freezer, and using a fork, break up the ice crystals forming around the edge of the dish, by dragging them into the more molten center. Return to the freezer and repeat this process every hour or so, smoothing out the granita before you return it to the freezer. The whole process should take about 3 hours. When you're ready to serve, allow the granita to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes so that it softens. Spoon the mixture into a small bowl or glass, and top with a little coarse sea salt.

ALMOND GRANITA

Steps:

• Purée all ingredients with 1 1/4 cups water in a blender until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a 9x9x2" metal baking pan; strain, discarding solids. Freeze mixture for 1 hour. Stir, mashing any frozen parts with the back of a fork. Cover and freeze mixture until firm, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape granita vigorously to form icy flakes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover tightly with foil and keep frozen. Give it a quick scrape before serving.

SUMMERTIME SOY GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla, cinnamon and soy milk.
• Cool mixture completely; pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours or until firm.
• Remove from freezer; scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy. Spoon into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, scoop into dessert cups, sprinkle with almonds and garnish with mint sprigs.

LEMON VERBENA ICE MILK WITH STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Prepare the ice milk: heat milk and 3/4 cup sugar in a heavy pan until bubbles form around the milk edges, then remove from heat. Crush lemon verbena leaves in your fists. Add to milk; steep 5 minutes. Taste the mixture; add more leaves if desired. Strain and chill.
• Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, slowly add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to whip until peaks are shiny. Whisk the egg whites into the milk mixture and pour into an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Make the granita: in a pan, bring 3/4 cup water and 6 tablespoons sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Purée halved berries in a food processor; strain.
• In a bowl, mix together strawberries, sugar syrup and lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Pour into a wide shallow container, and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove the granita and scrape the ice with a fork. Repeat every hour six times, until granita is fluffy and icy.
• To serve, toss quartered strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Scoop lemon verbena ice milk into chilled dessert bowls, and sprinkle the strawberry granita over the top. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices.