Cantaloupe Mint Granita
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A refreshing and easy-to-make granita featuring fresh cantaloupe and mint, perfect for a hot summer day.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (24 oz) organic fresh, ripe cantaloupe chunks (about 2 small melons, cut)
- 20 leaves fresh mint and more for garnish (about 4 to 5 sprigs)
- 4 tsp organic Grade A maple syrup (or to taste)
Instructions
- Place the cantaloupe chunks and mint leaves in a stainless steel vessel. Freeze for at least three hours until the cantaloupe is solid.
- Remove the frozen cantaloupe and mint from the freezer. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, allow the cantaloupe to thaw at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes until slightly softened.
- Transfer the cantaloupe and mint to a blender. Add the maple syrup and blend until smooth and slushy.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and return to the freezer. Scrape with a fork every 30 minutes for 2 hours to create a granita texture.
- Serve in chilled bowls or glasses, garnished with additional mint leaves.
Notes
- For a sweeter granita, adjust the maple syrup to taste.
- This granita can be stored in the freezer for up to a week; just scrape again with a fork before serving to refresh the texture.
- Use fresh, ripe cantaloupe for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 19
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 21
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the granita need to be scraped with a fork every 30 minutes — can’t I just freeze the blended mixture?
Freezing the mixture without scraping would produce a solid block of ice. The fork scraping every 30 minutes over 2 hours breaks up the forming ice crystals repeatedly, creating the light, flaky granita texture. Skipping this step turns the dessert into a smooth sorbet-like slab rather than the characteristic icy granular consistency.
Can I make this granita ahead of time, and how do I serve it after storing it in the freezer?
Yes — the notes say it can be stored in the freezer for up to a week. Before serving, scrape the granita again with a fork to break up any large ice crystals that have fused during storage and refresh the texture. Serve in chilled bowls or glasses garnished with fresh mint. 
