Granitas

It's been so hot here that I've been making granitas to cool down. Granitas are similar to Italian Ice and are very easy to make. I make them out of just about anything: juice, fresh fruit, coffee, and tea. The two I made most recently are cantaloupe and Limoncello. Limoncello is a delicious lemon liqueur.

Cantaloupe Granita:

This is based on a Michael Chiarello recipe.

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

Over low heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Let cool.

Puree the fruit in a food processor. Add the sugar syrup and mix.

Pour the fruit mixture into a 12 x 7 glass dish. Place in the freezer. Stir with a fork every 30 minutes until almost completely frozen but still grainy, about 3 to 4 hours.

Limoncello Granita:

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup Limoncello

lemon zest to garnish

Heat the sugar and water over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool. Mix the sugar syrup with the lemon juice and limoncello. Pour into an 8 x 8 glass pan. Stir every 30 minutes until almost completely frozen but still grainy.