Summer berry granita

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on July 31, 2008 at 4:45 AM, updated August 21, 2008 at 2:57 PM

Granitas are fat-free and use relatively small amounts of sugar because they derive most of their sweetness from the fruit. Most granitas are made by combining fruit purees with simple syrup. The mixture is frozen until it is solid, then it's scraped and served like ice cream. Some take as long as 24 hours to freeze, while others, depending on the method, take less time.

There are a couple of schools of thought about the scraping. Some require that the granita be frozen solid, then scraped. Other versions are stirred periodically during the freezing process. You may want to experiment with different fruits to determine the sweetness, thickness and flavor you prefer.

Simple syrup keeps for up to three weeks. I recommend that you make the syrup ahead of time and chill well before using.

Basic simple syrup

Makes about 3 cups

2 ½ cups water

1 ¾ cups sugar

Put the water and sugar in a non-reactive pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves. Cool. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Summer berry granita

Makes about 5 cups

3 pints fresh ripe berries, such as blackberries, raspberries or strawberries

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¾ to 1 cup simple syrup (amount will vary depending on desired sweetness and thickness)

Puree the berries with the salt and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Strain to remove any seeds (leave a quarter of the puree unstrained if you want some of the seeds for texture). Combine with the simple syrup and freeze in a covered plastic container for about 24 hours. When it has frozen, remove from the freezer.

If the granita has frozen very solid, let it sit on the counter for a while until it can be scraped. Using an ice-cream scoop or a large spoon, scrape toward your body with several strokes, transferring the scraped ice to a chilled bowl as necessary. If you want, you can scrape all of the granita at once, and put it back in the freezer until it's time to serve it.