Small Win #4: The most underrated summer dessert
Small Win #4: The most underrated summer dessert
Did I mention that it's cooling?! Plus an honest review of that shaved frozen fruit trend on TikTok…
Welcome to Small Wins!
In life, it’s the small steps that often lead to the BIG wins — so every other week I share a small win that has the power to enhance your cooking, your home, your life.
Now that we’ve finally experienced some HEAT in the UK this summer, it feels only right to talk about one of the easiest, most delicious and severely underrated summer desserts out there: granita!
I’ll admit: for a long-time the concept of granitas was lost on me. Flecks of flavoured ice? No cream, no salted caramel, no butter? Hard pass – and hand me a sticky toffee pudding, please.
Until! Until on a trip to Rome I tried an espresso granita with vanilla-spiked cream and couldn’t get over how something that simple could be that good. How could flavoured ice be so… flavourful? I’ve been hooked ever since — and I think you will be, too.
In this post, I’m sharing 5 granita recipes relating to each of the five tastes:
Bitter - A cocoa granita with passionfruit
Sweet - A sherbet-ty orange granita (aka Calippo for grown-ups)
Sour - A yuzu and green apple granita (an exclusive recipe from my supper clubs!)
Salty - A salted cucumber + mint granita (a lovely way to garnish oysters)
Umami - A strawberry + lime granita with extra oomph from fish sauce
If you’ve never made a granita before, consider this your cue!
Love,
Alexina
Coming up in the next few weeks (for all subscribers) - The avocado crema that you’ll be adding to all your tacos going forwards, what they don’t tell you about cooking rice + the final(ish) word on tomato sauce
For my Small Wins+ Community - This month it’s all about kitchen organisation but next month we’ll be diving into the world of pasta, answering essential questions such as ‘does your pasta water really need to be as salty as the sea?' and ‘which pasta shape, when?’. I’ll also be sharing my recommendations for which pasta to buy, links to all the best, tried-and-tested classic pasta sauce recipes, plus a single formula that will enable you to make any type of fresh pasta at home (with videos for added guidance). (Small Wins+ is the supercharged version of this newsletter for paid subscribers — find out more here.)
THE MANY MERITS OF GRANITA
Granitas give you much the same satisfaction as a sorbet but require little of their maker: some juicing, perhaps… a couple of stirs… a few scrapes with a fork — and no ice cream maker (hallelujah!).
In fact, it is their very lack of requirements that ensures they pack a real flavour punch. When making a sorbet, you need a minimum percentage of sugar to ensure a smooth texture (sugar inhibits the formation of ice crystals), which can sometimes get in the way of capturing the true essence of a fruit. But with granitas iciness is the name of the game! This means that you can keep the sugar content much lower — making them the perfect vehicle for pure, unadulterated flavour.
Granitas make the ideal summer dinner-party dessert, since they are:
Make-ahead
Easy
Fancy, in spite of their simplicity
Light, low-sugar + gluten-free — yet still a treat
Typically cheap to make
COLD
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW:
Freezing deadens flavours — particularly sweetness — so when making a granita, err on the side of slightly over-sweetening it before freezing.
Granitas can be stored for several days in the freezer but, in my experience, they are at their very best and most flavourful the day that they’re made (so to make a granita in advance, e.g. for a dinner party, I make up the liquid a day ahead, store it in an airtight container in the fridge then freeze it on the day).
Metal tray = quicker freezing (metal conducts cold). Shallow tray = quicker freezing (larger surface area). Ergo shallow metal tray = quickest freezing.
It might be tempting to allow the liquid to freeze fully and then scrape it with a fork, but (1) it will end up being a really hard job, (2) the fruit puree may separate from the water, causing watery white streaks and (3) you won’t get nice big flakes of ice.
Alcohol inhibits the freezing process which is desirable in sorbets and ice creams (because it helps ensure a smooth, scoopable texture) but undesirable in granitas. If you’re wanting to use alcohol in a granita, only add it in small quantities.
The quickest, easiest granitas can be made with shop-bought fruit juice — I particularly like using blood orange or pomegranate juice for these ‘cheat’ versionss.
BITTER: A bittersweet cocoa granita, served with passionfruit
This granita is for chocolate lovers: it’s pure unadulterated cocoa bitterness, sweetened with a little sugar, amped up with a sprinkling of salt and soothed with a spoonful of vanilla Chantilly.
Serving this with passionfruit is optional but rich, bitter chocolate and bright, sunny passionfruit are very good together.
The flavour of this largely rests on the cocoa so do buy a good quality one. If you like chocolate as much as I do, I would highly recommend investing in some Valrhona cocoa powder. But Green & Blacks is a decent supermarket option. Avoid raw cocoa.
Serves 5
Ingredients
500ml water, ideally filtered
70g unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa
120g caster sugar (or granulated)
1 tbsp Kahlua (or another coffee or chocolate-based liqueur)
½ tsp Maldon salt
Serving options
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few flakes of Maldon salt
A spoonful of barely whipped vanilla Chantilly and the pulp from half a very wrinkly (i.e. ripe) passionfruit (pictured)
Method
Add the water, cocoa and sugar to a small to medium saucepan and whisk until everything is thoroughly combined.
Heat the mixture on a medium heat for around 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is warmed through. Take off the heat and stir in the Kahlua (or other liqueur) and the salt, then pour into your prepared tray.
Place in the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. After this time, run a fork through the mix, bringing any frozen bits from the edges into the centre. Return to the freezer and repeat 3 to 4 more times -- as the granita freezes, you won’t need to wait as long between goes. (But also: granita is really forgiving, so don’t stress about being too precise with timing -- just fork it through as and when you remember to). It’ll probably take 3 to 4 hours total.
Run a fork through the granita just before serving, then pile into chilled glasses -- a coupe is quite fun, but little glasses are cute too.
Storage: If storing for another day, transfer to a tupperware box with a lid.
SWEET: A sherbetty orange granita (aka Calippo for grown ups)
Adapted from Kitty Travers’ Leafy Clementine Granita in La Grotta Ices
I typically make this granita with oranges from the supermarket but if you can get hold of leafy oranges then go ahead and add those leaves to the syrup — they’ll add fragrance and depth of flavour. You could also take this in a more adult direction by adding a splash of Campari to taste (not too much though, since alcohol inhibits freezing).
Serves 3 to 4 (or 8 as a palate cleanser)
Ingredients
For the sugar syrup
40g caster sugar
20ml water
Zest of 2 oranges
For the granita
275ml fresh orange juice (approx. 6 oranges - I find Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference oranges to be the most consistently good in terms of flavour)
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
Small pinch of salt
Equipment
Fine sieve or a sieve lined with a piece of muslin
Method
For the sugar syrup
Combine the sugar and water (plus orange leaves, if you have them) in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the zest of the 2 oranges and allow to cool.
For the granita
Once the sugar syrup has fully cooled, strain it through a fine sieve (or sieve lined with a piece of muslin) to get rid of the zest, and then combine the syrup with the orange juice, lemon juice and salt.
Pour into the prepared tray and transfer to the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. After this time, run a fork through the mix, bringing any frozen bits from the edges into the centre. Return to the freezer and repeat 3 to 4 more times -- as the granita freezes, you won’t need to wait as long between goes. (But also: granita is really forgiving, so don’t stress about being too precise with timing -- just fork it through as and when you remember to). It’ll probably take 3 to 4 hours total, and will result in a sparkling heap of flavoured snow.
Run a fork through the granita just before serving, then pile into chilled glasses.
Storage: If storing for another day, transfer to a tupperware box with a lid.
SOUR: A deliciously tart green apple + yuzu granita
Crisp brightness of Granny Smiths and floral freshness of yuzu: this might be my favourite granita of all time. It’s a recipe that I developed for my supper clubs and whilst it’s not the cheapest to make (insofar as the hand-pressed yuzu juice is quite spenny) it is spectacularly delicious and worth splurging on for a dinner party. Heads up: you will need a juicer for this one.
Serves 6 (or 12 as a palate cleanser)
Ingredients
6 large Granny Smith apples
45ml fresh lemon juice
45ml hand-pressed yuzu juice
150ml simple syrup (made by briefly simmering together 100g caster sugar + 100ml water)
Equipment
Juicer
Method
Juice your apples and immediately combine with the lemon juice and yuzu juice to prevent too much oxidation. Add in 130ml of the sugar syrup, taste to check the sweetness, and then add a little more if you think it needs it (remember: freezing deadens flavour so you want it to taste just slightly sweeter than you’d like prior to freezing).
Pour the mix into your chosen tray/dish and place in the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. After this time, run a fork through the mix, bringing any frozen bits from the edges into the centre. Return to the freezer and repeat 3 to 4 more times -- as the granita freezes, you won’t need to wait as long between goes. (But also: granita is really forgiving, so don’t stress about being too precise with timing -- just fork it through as and when you remember to). It’ll probably take 3 to 4 hours.
Run a fork through the granita just before serving, then pile into chilled glasses.
Storage: If storing for another day, transfer to a tupperware box with a lid.
SALTY: A salted cucumber + mint granita, served over oysters
Adapted from Nicola Lamb’s Cucumber-Jalapeno Granita in Sift
I have an obsession with cucumbers — especially small cucumbers quartered lengthways and sprinkled with flaky sea salt (IYKYK) — which is how I arrived at this granita. Refreshing, zingy and perfect for a brat summer (apparently), it’s both delicious on its own or lovely used as a garnish for oysters.
Serves 6 (or 12 as an oyster garnish)
Ingredients
50ml fresh lime juice (approx. 1 1/2 large limes)
25g caster sugar (15g if using to top oysters)
225g cucumber, skin left on
4 mint leaves
1/4 tsp Maldon sea salt, or to taste
15 twists of pepper, or to taste
To serve
A dozen oysters, shucked (optional)
Equipment
Blender (e.g. Nutribullet) or food processor
Method
Combine the lime juice and caster sugar in the cup of the blender and swirl/stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until completely smooth.
Pour the mix into your chosen tray/dish and transfer to the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. After this time, run a fork through the mix, bringing any frozen bits from the edges into the centre. Return to the freezer and repeat 3 to 4 more times -- as the granita freezes, you won’t need to wait as long between goes. (But also: granita is really forgiving, so don’t stress about being too precise with timing -- just fork it through as and when you remember to). It’ll probably take 3 to 4 hours total, and will result in a sparkling heap of flavoured snow.
Run a fork through the granita just before serving, then pile into chilled glasses.
Storage: If storing for another day, transfer to a tupperware box with a lid.
UMAMI: A strawberry + lime, with a little fish sauce for oomph
There is nothing that screams British summer more than a strawberry and, as it turns out, no fruit that makes a granita quite so vivid. Flavour-wise it’s (almost) everything you would expect: sweet and fragrant from strawberries, zingy and floral from lime… but it’s the addition of fish sauce that gives it a salty, slightly funky and altogether sexier undertone.
Serves 4 (or 8 to 10 as a palate cleanser)
Ingredients
400g strawberries
50g caster sugar
60ml lime juice (approx. 2 to 3 limes)
2 tsp fish sauce (Squid brand fish sauce is the best), or to taste
Method
Combine the lime juice and caster sugar in the cup of the blender and swirl/stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the strawberries and process until completely smooth. Add the fish sauce to taste.
Pour the mix into your chosen tray/dish and transfer to the freezer, uncovered, for an hour. After this time, run a fork through the mix, bringing any frozen bits from the edges into the centre. Return to the freezer and repeat 3 to 4 more times -- as the granita freezes, you won’t need to wait as long between goes. (But also: granita is really forgiving, so don’t stress about being too precise with timing -- just fork it through as and when you remember to). It’ll probably take 3 to 4 hours total, and will result in a sparkling heap of flavoured snow.
Run a fork through the granita just before serving, then pile into chilled glasses.
Storage: If storing for another day, transfer to a tupperware box with a lid.
FOOTNOTE: TESTING THE TIK TOK SHAVED FROZEN FRUIT TREND SO THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO
It’s pretty rare that I pay attention to TikTok food trends but this shaved frozen fruit trend caught my eye after it made its way onto the profiles of a few foodies that I trust. My hope was that it might be an ingenious shortcut to granita, so I tried it…
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… and hated it.
The result was bland (in spite of using height-of-summer strawberries) but, even worse really, is that it was supremely inconvenient:
It required a specific tool: I tried it with the smallest size on a box grater (fail) and an older, less sharp fine Microplane (fail) before finally having success with a Microplane zester grater (an essential piece of kitchen kit btw).
It took quite a long time/some decent effort to grate the fruit and yet it melted in seconds — completely impractical for serving more than one person.
It made a mess.
I was scared for my knuckles throughout the grating process.
It also probably blunted my zester.
Needless to say, I’ll be sticking to granitas — today, tomorrow and always.
FURTHER READING + RESOURCES
Even if you don’t make any of the granitas in this post, promise me you’ll make this one? It’s one of the best desserts on the planet.
For seasonal, fruit-forward ice creams, sorbets and granitas can I recommend Kitty Travers’ gorgeous book La Grotta Ices? Her flavours are divine.
SHARING IS CARING
If you think someone else would benefit from this post, go ahead and share the knowledge!
BITTER — MY COOKBOOK!
In case you didn’t know, I wrote a cookbook called BITTER which:
Explains why bitterness is the missing ingredient in your cooking
Teaches you how to work with bitter flavours
Shares over 80 delicious recipes including a recipe for pomegranate + Campari granita which is deep, sweet, sour and bitter (said another way: divine)
Head this way if that sounds like a bit of you 🖤
DISCLOSURES
This post may contain affiliate links. I only link to items that I have paid for in full and have used extensively.
Oh, beautiful! My granita epiphany was also in Italy. After a long, faffy journey with a connecting Alitalia flight (seats like you'd imagine in a Brat-Pack movie, impressive biscuits), I arrived in Brindisi in the heat. The entire airport was about the size of one boarding gate here. Nothing but passport control and...a gelataria! With the most heavenly melon granita: like colder, more intensely melony melon, and with that glorious slushy crunch. Welcome to Puglia! Looking forward to getting stuck into these!