Orange and Grapefruit Granita
Granita is a Sicilian semi-frozen dessert with a characteristic icy crumb, achieved not with an ice cream machine but by simply scraping it with a fork. Unlike a smooth sorbet, its texture is deliberately grainy and melts on the tongue in cold crystals. This citrus version with orange and grapefruit is especially refreshing.
Italians serve granita not as a dessert but in the middle of a hearty meal, no matter the season: the light fruit mixture helps the stomach handle rich food. It looks most striking spooned back into the empty citrus halves.
Cook’s Notes
- The most important thing is to scrape the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes; without this you’ll end up with a solid block of ice rather than an airy crumb.
- Sicilian blood oranges give a deep color and a berry note, but the juice of regular oranges works too.
- Be sure to remove the bitter white membranes, otherwise the dessert will taste bitter, especially from the grapefruit.
- Adjust the sweetness with the sugar: very tart fruit needs more.
Serve right after scraping, since granita melts quickly. It’s not worth storing for long, as the texture firms up over time.
Part of Italian cuisine — 24 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the grapefruits and oranges in half. Scoop out the flesh with a small knife and a teaspoon. The empty halves can be used in place of bowls for the finished granita. Remove the white membranes from the flesh and chop it with a knife or in a blender.
Mix the flesh with the powdered sugar and orange juice, then place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Every half hour, take out the tray and go over the granita thoroughly with a fork so the mixture doesn't freeze into a solid lump.
Scrape the frozen granita with a fork, spoon it into the empty orange halves, and serve.
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