Granita does not need a recipe. It needs a melon, a lemon, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a freezer. You blend, you pour, you scrape with a fork every hour. The Italian version of a snow cone, except it actually tastes like the fruit.
This one uses the juice from inside the melon seeds, strained through a fine mesh sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. That liquid gets mixed with lemon juice, sugar, and salt, then blended with the melon flesh and water. You freeze it in a shallow metal tray and rake it with a fork every hour until it looks like crushed ice. Pretty damn refreshing, and the kids fight over the last spoonful.
Tips for Making Green Melon Granita
Extract the seed juice
Cut the melon and scoop the seeds and their surrounding liquid into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the juice.
This juice is sweeter and more concentrated than the melon flesh. It is the flavour base. Do not throw it away.
Use a shallow metal tray
Metal conducts cold better than glass or plastic. A shallow tray means thinner layers that freeze faster and scrape more evenly.
Rake with a fork every hour. If you forget and it freezes solid, let it sit on the counter for ten minutes, then scrape. It will break up.
Green Melon Granita
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Omnivore, Vegetarian
Description
A refreshing summer treat, this granita is easy to make and perfect for beating the heat. Sweet melon, bright lemon, and a touch of salt create a simple yet elegant dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/2 melon (113 g) melon
- 1 lemon juice
- 2 tsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) water
Instructions
- Extract juice from the melon flesh around the seeds using a fine mesh sieve and the back of a wooden spoon. Mix in lemon juice, sugar, and salt until dissolved. You should have about 1/2 cup of liquid.
- In a blender, puree the melon with the strained melon juice and water.
- Taste and adjust sweetness and tartness with more sugar or lemon juice as needed.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow metal tray and freeze.
- After an hour, scrape the frozen edges with a fork and rake through the mixture.
- Repeat the scraping and raking process every hour until the mixture resembles finely crushed ice.
- Serve frozen.
- If the granita freezes solid, let it defrost slightly before serving.
Notes
- For a smoother granita, strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before freezing.
- To adjust the sweetness, consider using a granulated sugar alternative like agave or honey.
- Store leftover granita in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of melon works best?
Honeydew or cantaloupe both work. The recipe calls for green melon, so honeydew is the natural choice. The melon needs to be ripe and sweet enough to eat on its own. If it is bland raw, it will be bland frozen.
Why add salt to a dessert?
A pinch of salt makes the melon flavour sharper and more defined. Without it, the granita tastes flat and watery. You will not taste salt. You will taste more melon.
How long does granita keep?
Up to two weeks in a covered container in the freezer. If it freezes into a solid block, let it defrost slightly and scrape again. The texture degrades after a few days but the flavour holds.
