Granitas are popular all over Italy, but particularly in the south and Sicily when they are very comforting in the hot months. There are a variety of different granitas: coffee granita is a classic; but this granita looks beautiful and uses the blood oranges which are in abundance in the south after Christmas.
Ingredients
- 15 floz [400ml] of blood orange juice, about 5 oranges
- 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier, vodka, rum or other booze
- 4oz [100g] caster sugar
- 7 floz [200ml] water
- Zest of 2 oranges
Preparation Instructions
- Zest the oranges before you juice them. Make sure only the top layer of zest is taken from the orange and not the white bitter part.
- Mix the caster sugar with the water and heat up until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the orange juice, booze and zest.
- Stir and pour into a container that fits in the freezer, but the juice should be no deeper than 3cm. This allows the granita to freeze quickly and break up easily.
- Put in the freezer and leave over-night.
- Take the granita out of the freezer and using a fork rake over the granita so that it becomes crystal like and fluffy looking.
- Place in the freezer and leave to chill for at least another 2 hours to solidify.
- Serve in pre-chilled bowls with a sweet biscuit. Perfect for refreshing the palate.
