Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Sugar Syrup
- 120 ml water
- 100 g white granulated sugar
Base
- 480 ml dry white wine, chilled
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- lemon zest, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 281 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 27 g
- Sodium
- 4 mg
- Potassium
- 5 mg
- Calcium
- 1 mg
- Iron
- 0.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Phosphorus
- 0 mg
- Zinc
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved to create a simple syrup.
Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool to room temperature. To speed up the process, you can transfer it to a heatproof bowl and place it in an ice bath.
In a mixing bowl or directly in the freezing container, whisk together the cooled syrup, white wine, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into a shallow metal baking dish. The liquid depth should be no more than 2-3 cm for even freezing.
Place in the freezer. After 45-60 minutes, remove the dish and scrape the forming ice crystals from the edges into the center using a fork. Break up any large chunks.
Return to the freezer. Repeat the scraping process every 30 minutes for the next 2-3 hours until the mixture is completely frozen but fluffy and granular.
Fluff the granita one last time with a fork before spooning into chilled glasses. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Since the alcohol is not cooked off, the quality of the wine is paramount. Use a wine you enjoy drinking; a high-acid Sauvignon Blanc or a mineral-forward Riesling works best.
- Using a metal pan is crucial for granita as it conducts temperature efficiently, allowing the ice crystals to form faster and more evenly than glass or ceramic.
- For a sophisticated twist, you can steep a sprig of rosemary or thyme in the sugar syrup while it cools, then discard before freezing.
- If the granita is too slushy and won't freeze firm, your freezer may be too warm or the alcohol content of the wine is unusually high. Lower freezer temp if possible.
Storage
Freezer: 3 days — Best eaten within 24 hours. If stored longer, scrape vigorously before serving to fluff up crystals.
Troubleshooting
Granita is a solid block of hard ice
Cause: Freezer was too cold or scraping interval was missed
Fix: Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then scrape vigorously with a heavy metal fork or pulse briefly in a food processor
Prevention: Set a timer for every 30 minutes to scrape diligently
Cultural Context
Granita is a semi-frozen dessert originating from Sicily, Italy. Unlike sorbet, which is churned to be smooth, granita is statically frozen and manually agitated to create a coarser, crystalline texture. It is traditionally eaten as a refreshing breakfast with brioche in the summer months or as a palate cleanser between courses.
