Watermelon granita made with a lightly minted sugar syrup is the perfect way to cool off on a hot hot hot day. And haven’t we had a few of those lately?! Watermelon is a great way to refresh yourself during a hot summer. But frozen into almost slushy form with a hint of mint, it takes refreshment to a whole other level. This super simple watermelon granita is a snap to make. Blitz some watermelon, add some minted sugar syrup and freeze. Then just a few quick stirs with a fork – you’re in frozen treat heaven!
It’s hot. Actually it’s damn freakin’ hot. I read that this summer is shaping up to be the hottest on record in our little corner of the world. And I would believe it. January was a scorcher, and February isn’t far behind. We’ve been sweltering day in, day out. And its been wet too. Its been up to 100% humidity some days. Consequently we’ve been consuming a substantial quantity of frozen goods.
Our lovely neighbours over the road kindly delivered us three big juicy watermelons. Watermelon is the perfect refreshing treat in this hot weather but there’s only so many slices of watermelon one can eat. I wanted to do something a little bit different with some of it.
My mum makes a pretty sensational coffee granita. And thats what gave me the idea for this watermelon version. Mum’s always saying what a simple dessert it is to make, and we love it every time she serves it. She’s right – granita is super simple. No cooking, no churning. Quite simply, blend up the fruit, sweeten with a little sugar syrup, then pour into a shallow container and pop in the freezer. Every hour or so you need to stir/scrape the mixture with a fork until eventually, you’re left with piles of beautiful crystals of watermelon snow.
You could make granita even more simple but using a liquid sweetener. Â Then you could call this a ‘3 ingredient’ recipe. But trust me, you’ll WANT to go to the effort of making your own minted sugar syrup. Not that’s it’s a lot of effort! But it’s sooooo worth it. Not only is the gently minted syrup gorgeous in the watermelon granita, the leftovers are incredible in a mojito! Ahhh mojito. Another hot weather favourite of mine.
Watermelon granita with a hint of mint
Ingredients
- 1 watermelon
- 1 lime juiced
For the minted sugar syrup:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Instructions
Make the sugar syrup first:
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Place the sugar and cold water into a saucepan and stir, over a low-medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
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Increase the heat to medium and, without further stirring, allow to come to a gentle boil.
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Place the mint leaves in a heat proof bowl. Once the sugar mixture has boiled, carefully pour it over the mint leaves and allow to sit and steep for up to 30 minutes.
To make the granita:
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Cut the watermelon in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Put the flesh into a food processor or blender. (Note: you can keep the seeds in as they will be removed when the mixture is strained in the next step).
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Blend the watermelon flesh for a minute or two until you have a smooth consistency. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any bits of seed.
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For every cup of watermelon juice you have, stir in 1 tbsp of minted sugar syrup and 1 tsp lime juice. Adjust to suit your taste.
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Pour the mixture into a shallow, freezer-proof container and freeze for 2 hours.
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Remove from the freezer and use a fork to give the mixture a good stir, scraping the sides to remove any ice crystals that have formed. Return to the freezer for 1 hour.
Repeat this stirring and scraping process every hour, making sure to use your fork to break up any large chunks of ice that form until the granita is completely frozen. This will take 5-6 stirrings.
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Once completely frozen, transfer the granita to a sealed container and store in the freezer until required.
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