Equipment
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 200 ml water
- 120 g caster sugar
Fruit Base
- 300 g raspberries, fresh, washed
- 200 g redcurrants, fresh, destemmed and washed
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 184 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 46 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 37 g
- Sodium
- 3 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 255 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 44 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 42 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 160 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the water and caster sugar in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer at 100°C/212°F over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Place the fresh raspberries, destemmed redcurrants, lemon juice, and the cooled simple syrup into a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth.
Pour the pureed fruit mixture through a fine mesh sieve directly into a shallow metal baking pan. Press gently with a spoon or spatula to extract all the juice and pulp, discarding the seeds left in the sieve.
Place the shallow pan in the freezer, which should be set around -18°C/0°F, for 45 minutes, or until the edges of the liquid begin to crystallize and freeze.
Remove the pan from the freezer and use a fork to aggressively scrape the frozen edges toward the liquid center, breaking up any large chunks. Return the pan to the freezer. Repeat this scraping process every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours until the entire mixture consists of dry, fluffy ice crystals.
Fluff the frozen granita one final time with your fork, then scoop generous portions into chilled serving bowls. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Adjust the amount of sugar in the simple syrup depending on the natural ripeness and tartness of your berries. Always remember that freezing mutes flavors, so the liquid base must be intensely flavored.
- Using a shallow metal pan is vital for this technique. Metal conducts cold much faster than glass or ceramic, resulting in faster freezing and smaller, more delicate ice crystals.
- Pre-chilling your serving glasses or bowls in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving ensures the delicate granita crystals do not instantly melt upon contact with room-temperature dishware.
- For a sophisticated adult twist, add a splash of prosecco, vodka, or elderflower liqueur to the liquid base before freezing. Note that alcohol lowers the freezing point, so it will take slightly longer to set.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Store in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Rescrape with a fork before serving if compacted.
Troubleshooting
Granita froze into a solid, impenetrable block
Cause: The mixture was left in the freezer for too long without being scraped to agitate the ice crystals
Fix: Let the pan sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, break it into chunks with a sturdy fork, and pulse briefly in a food processor until flaky
Prevention: Set a strict timer to remind you to scrape the mixture every 30 minutes during the freezing phase
Final dessert tastes too sour
Cause: Redcurrants can vary wildly in tartness, and freezing dulls sweetness
Fix: Serve with a light drizzle of honey or agave syrup over the top
Prevention: Taste the puree before freezing. It should taste slightly sweeter than you want the final dessert to be
Cultural Context
Granita originated in Sicily, evolving from the Arabic sherbet brought to the island during the Middle Ages. Originally prepared using winter snow meticulously collected from Mount Etna, it has transformed into a quintessential Italian refreshment, traditionally enjoyed to combat the intense summer heat.
