Summer will soon be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean making frozen treats has to end with it. Especially when it’s the Italian frozen dessert called granita. Similar to creamy sorbets, granita is a frozen fruit dessert made from blended fresh fruit and then frozen until icy, flaked with a fork again and again, until it’s ready to serve. This delightfully crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth fruit ice (sort of like eating snow), can be served as a light and refreshing after-dinner dessert or even on its own.
Elegant enough to serve at dinner parties or just for fun, granita can be made with just about any fruit, especially berries, watermelon, or peaches, captivating your fruit-loving taste buds – I promise!
This recipe (one of 125 recipes) is from my most recent book, The Heart Disease Prevention Cookbook available on Amazon, and is originally called Blackberry-Thyme Granita. I decided to try raspberries in place of the blackberries or use whatever fruit you like best. A good source of vitamin C and fiber, this nonfat and zero sodium treat is a perfect alternative to overly rich, sugary desserts loaded with calories and/or too much fat. Just what the doctor ordered for anyone wanting to eat for a healthier heart and lifestyle.
Of course, a healthy dessert discovery is always good but more importantly, how does it taste? I guarantee, you will love this recipe. For me, I love the noticeable blend of berries with fresh lime juice with just enough sweetness without being exceedingly so. In other words, it’s just right and everyone else will agree too.
When making Raspberry-Thyme Granita, it takes a span of 4 hours to prep this super easy recipe. No worries though. You won’t be in the kitchen for that entire length of time. However, every 30 minutes, you’ll need to scrape the partially frozen granita with the tines of a fork, breaking up any large chunks to achieve the icy-layered texture.
Here’s the recipe that will win everyone’s approval. No matter what time of year, frozen granita is always a captivating favorite.
Raspberry-Thyme Granita
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh raspberries or whichever fruit you prefer
- ¼ cup honey
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the raspberries, honey, lime juice, and thyme. Blend until smooth
- Strain into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids.
- Pour into a rimmed 9-by-13-inch metal pan
- Freeze for 4 hours, using a fork every 30 minutes to scrape the freezing liquid into a texture similar to shaved ice. Serve.
Notes
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[…] Courtesy of Eat Well To Be Well […]