Wine Granite Recipes

WINE GRANITAS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, and basil. Heat on medium until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour. Strain basil from syrup and discard.
• In 2-quart metal baking pan, combine syrup, wine, and lemon juice. Freeze 4 to 5 hours or until frozen, scraping with fork every hour to break up ice crystals. Serve garnished with cherries, mint, and lemon slices, if desired. Store in freezer up to 1 week, covered with plastic wrap, scraping again before serving.

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour.
• Using the finest grater you have, lightly scrape the skin of 1 lemon, removing only the top surface of the peel. Squeeze out the juice and remove the seeds from both lemons.
• Open the Champagne or sparkling wine, and pour it into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch pan. Mix in the simple syrup, lemon juice, and grated zest. Place mixture into the freezer. Check after 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, break up any ice formed on the sides and stir into the rest of the liquid. Continue to freeze and repeat this procedure every hour for at least 3 hours. Before serving, fluff the granita by "chopping" up any clumps with the spoon or gently whisking the frozen mixture. Spoon into small glasses or cups and serve.

WINE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place wine, grape juice, and apple juice in a medium-sized bowl. Dissolve sugar in warm water and add to bowl. Whisk together for one minute until well mixed.
• Pour into a nine- by 13-inch (20- by 30-centimeter) baking pan. Place in the freezer. Using a fork, stir the mixture every 30-45 minutes, scraping edges and breaking up any chunks as the mixture freezes. Do this three times.
• When it's almost frozen, mash it with a fork until granita is slushy and has the right texture. Return to the freezer until serving.
• To serve, scrape with a spoon or mini scoop. I like serving it in small wine cups with diced fruit at the side.

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.

WINE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine confectioners sugar with wine. Pour over cake while cake is still hot.

WINE GRANITE

Steps:

• Select a baking pan with raised edges, measuring about 12 by 18 inches.
• Put the wine in a mixing bowl. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar melts.
• Add the sugar syrup to the wine and stir. Pour into the baking sheet and freeze 2 hours, stirring frequently with a fork to break up ice crystals. Serve in chilled sherbet cups.

CHOCOLATE GRANITE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add all ingredients, bring to a boil again. Pour into a shallow container and freeze overnight. When frozen, scrape with a metal spoon. Serve immediately.

MULLED WINE GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring the wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice and peppercorns to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand 15 minutes. Strain the mulled wine into an 8-inch-square baking dish and freeze until hard, about 5 hours. Scrape with a fork and divide among glasses. Serve with whipped cream.

RED WINE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the frozen berries, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Puree in a food processor and strain through a fine wire-mesh strainer, pressing the fruit with a wooden spoon to release the juices. Let cool. (Or place over an ice water bath to cool quickly.)
• Combine the syrup with the wine in a bowl. Pour into a 9-inch square metal pan. Freeze, scraping the mixture occasionally with a fork to create ice crystals, until firm, 4 to 6 hours. Spoon the granita into serving glasses and garnish with mint and fresh berries.

RED WINE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place a 9" x 13" metal baking pan in the freezer for 2 hours to pre-chill. Dissolve honey in water in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Combine honey mixture and wine in baking pan and return it to the freezer. Freeze, stirring and scraping frozen parts every 30 minutes to create ice crystals. You want a slushy, snow cone texture, not a solid freeze. Spoon into dessert cups.

HONEYDEW GRANITE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside until cool.
• Process the melon, sugar syrup and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Add the gin and pepper and blend until well mixed.
• Pour the mixture into a large, nonreactive pie plate and place in the freezer. Stir every 30 minutes until frozen. Scrape up the granite, divide among 4 dishes and serve.

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Combine sugar and 2 1/2 cups water in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl set over the ice bath, and cool completely.
• Add champagne to sugar, and stir to combine. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Stir with tines of a fork, scraping up icy parts. Return to freezer, and stir every 20 minutes until mixture is frozen and texture is similar to shaved ice. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.