Valentine Granita Recipes

RED GRAPE GRANITA

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the wine, the sugar, and 1 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes and let it cool. In a blender or food processor purée the grapes with the syrup and strain the purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Stir in 1 cup cold water and the lemon juice and chill the mixture, covered, until it is cold. Stir the mixture, transfer it to 2 metal ice cube trays without dividers or a shallow metal bowl, and freeze it, stirring with a fork every 20 to 30 minutes and crushing the large frozen clumps, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is firm but not frozen solid. Scrape the granita with a fork to lighten the texture and serve it in chilled bowls.

CLEMENTINE GRANITA

Steps:

• Slice the top 1/2 inch off each clementine; reserve. Cut around flesh and scoop out into a sieve set over a bowl; reserve skins and be careful not to tear them. Press flesh to extract juice. Squeeze in juice from tops. (You'll have about 1 cup.) Juice more clementines to yield 2 cups.
• Moisten clementine skins with some juice or water. Roll skins in 1/4 cup sugar to coat. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
• Bring remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and ginger to a boil in a saucepan, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Let stand for 30 minutes; discard ginger. Stir in 2 cups juice and the lemon juice; transfer to a nonreactive 8-inch square baking dish. Freeze until solid, about 3 hours.
• Scrape granita with a fork to fluff. Spoon granita into clementine "cups." Freeze for 10 minutes before serving.

MARGARITA GRANITA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cook 3 3/4 cups water and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir in lime zest and juice, tequila, and orange juice. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Pour mixture into a shallow dish; cool, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze until set, 6 hours or overnight. Using the tines of a fork, scrape mixture until flakes form. Freeze (covered) until ready to serve. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

RASPBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Chill syrup until cold.
• Meanwhile, mash 3 cups raspberries in medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Mix in sugar syrup. Pour mixture through strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Pour mixture into shallow baking dish. Freeze until almost firm, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
• Continue freezing granita until firm (do not stir), at least 3 hours or overnight. (Granita can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.)
• Using fork, scrape surface of granita to form crystals. Scoop crystals into glasses. Garnish with raspberries.