Now, at residence I take that all-fruit ethos a step additional, making my Italian ices (granita) totally of contemporary fruit, with no sugar added in any respect, a tack I discover makes them much more fresh-tasting and refreshing. The important thing to doing that efficiently is to make use of fruit that’s already inherently candy, reminiscent of melon or mango. While you begin with such candy fruit, the combination requires a shiny stability of tangy citrus. And the addition of a contemporary, smooth herb reminiscent of mint, basil or cilantro provides an additional layer of cool, summer-y sophistication.
On this recipe I used honeydew, however be at liberty to substitute cantaloupe or watermelon — the necessary factor is to make use of the sweetest melon you’ll find. However even when, regardless of your greatest efforts, you get one that’s on the tasteless aspect (it occurs to the perfect of us,) by some means the ensuing ices nonetheless wind up tasting good ultimately, so go together with it regardless.
Simply mix the melon with a handful of contemporary mint leaves (or basil or cilantro), some lime (or lemon) zest and a squeeze of its juice. Begin with a tablespoon of citrus juice and add extra to style as desired. Then pour the combination right into a shallow dish and place it within the freezer.
You should stir it with a fork each 20 minutes or so for at the least 3 hours, scraping the ice crystals as they type, so select a time to make it when you recognize you’ll be residence for some time. As soon as completed, the granita requires a bit of thaw time to melt sufficient to be re-scraped so it may be scooped.
Served with a sprig of mint, I can’t consider a cooler technique to get pleasure from contemporary fruit.
Get the recipe: Honeydew Granita With Lime and Mint