Granita Without A Machine

Granita without a machine scales up nicely for a party with a little planning. Most of the work is waiting while it freezes or bakes. The rest of this article covers granita without a machine in plain, practical terms.

Planning quantities

Granita can be held in the freezer for a few days, though it tends to fuse into a solid sheet. A quick scrape with a fork just before serving restores the texture. Serve it in chilled glasses so it does not melt on contact, and consider a spoonful of softly whipped cream on top, which contrasts beautifully with the icy flakes.

Making it in batches

On a day-to-day level, granita is the most forgiving frozen dessert to make at home because its charm comes from ice crystals rather than from avoiding them. The goal is a pile of flaky, sparkling shards that melt quickly on the tongue. All it takes is a flavorful liquid, a shallow metal pan and a fork.

Freezer space

In practice, the base can be strong coffee, fruit juice, pureed watermelon, lemonade or a lightly sweetened tea. Because granita is eaten so cold, the liquid should taste bold and a little sweeter than you would drink it. A rough guide is a quarter to a third cup of sugar for every two cups of liquid, dissolved completely before freezing.

Labeling containers with the date makes it easy to use things while they are at their best.

Serving ideas

In practice, a metal baking dish freezes faster than glass or ceramic, and a wide, shallow pan gives you more surface area to scrape. Pour the liquid in to a depth of about an inch and place the pan on a level freezer shelf. After roughly an hour, ice will begin forming around the edges.

Labeling containers with the date makes it easy to use things while they are at their best.

Keeping it cold

From that point, drag a fork across the surface every thirty minutes or so, pulling the frozen edges toward the middle and breaking up any clumps. After three or four rounds of scraping, the whole pan should be a fluffy mass of crystals. The more often you scrape, the finer and lighter the texture becomes.

Practical tips

Some practical points to keep in mind:

• Keep the freezer door closed as much as possible while things set.
• Store finished treats in an airtight container.
• Taste the mixture before freezing; it will taste less sweet once frozen.
• Use ripe fruit for the best flavor.

The bottom line

Keep it simple, taste as you go, and have fun with the flavors. Take it one batch at a time. Every attempt teaches you something about your own freezer and oven.