How to Make the Perfect Watermelon Granita
Italian · Easy · 255 min · 6 servings
This watermelon granita is a refreshing and naturally sweet kid friendly frozen treat made from just three ingredients that makes the most of summer watermelon season. Kids love using a fork to scrape the beautiful rosy red ice crystals into fluffy frozen flakes that melt on the tongue like a grown up snow cone.
Why this recipe works
This Watermelon Granita recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 255 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 75 calories with 1g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 5 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 6 cups seedless watermelon cubed
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 leaves fresh mint optional for serving
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Blend the Watermelon
Place the watermelon cubes in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl pressing with a spoon to extract all the juice. Discard any pulp remaining in the strainer.
Step 2: Add Sugar and Lime
Whisk the sugar, lime juice, and salt into the watermelon juice until the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste and add a little more sugar if your watermelon is not very sweet. The mixture should taste slightly sweeter than you want the final granita to be.
Step 3: Begin Freezing
Pour the mixture into a wide shallow freezer safe baking dish. Place uncovered in the freezer. After 1 hour use a fork to scrape and stir the mixture, breaking up any frozen edges and pushing them toward the center.
Step 4: Scrape to Perfect Flakes
Continue scraping with a fork every 30 to 45 minutes for the next 2 to 3 hours until the entire pan is filled with light fluffy ice crystals. Serve immediately in chilled glasses or store covered in the freezer for up to 3 days, re-scraping before serving.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- fresh lime juice → fresh lemon juice works just as well and brightens the watermelon flavor beautifully
- granulated sugar → honey dissolved in a little warm water for a more natural sweetener option
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Skipping the stirring and scraping steps which results in a solid block of ice instead of the fluffy crystal texture
- Using a deep container instead of a wide shallow dish which slows freezing and makes scraping difficult
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 75 calories, 1g protein, 19g carbs, 0g fat, 1g fiber.
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