almond granita & friends
can any nut become granita?
i have recently discovered the existance of almond granita (a classic breakfast in sicily) and my freezer has not rested since
it was creamy, despite having no dairy, rich but light, and immensely refreshing
i have since granitified almost every nut i could get my hands on, including:
almonds
cashews
pecans
pistachios
macadamias
hazelnuts
sesame seeds (as tahini)
honestly, they have all been fantastic but the tahini and almond have been real standouts
the base ratio below will work for any nut you choose, just make sure they are unsalted and roasted
the water can be swapped for other liquids, such as coffee, tea, juices (check the sugar levels), or coconut water
some suggested flavours below:
cashew, cardamom & rosewater: use cashews, and add 0.25 tsp ground cardamom and 0.5 tsp rosewater with the water
espresso & almond: replace the water with strong coffee
tahini & matcha: add 1 tsp matcha powder with the water while blending
macadamia & lime: add the zest and half the juice of one lime, reduce the water accordingly
go forth and granita!
serves between 2 and 6
ingredients
20g any nut, toasted
20g caster sugar
125mL water
pinch salt
method
add the nuts (20g) and sugar (20g) to a food processor and blitz to form a thick paste (15-20 seconds)
pour in a spoonful of the water (125mL total) and blitz to combine
add half of the remaining water and blitz again, making sure to scrape down the sides
add the remaining water and a pinch of salt and blitz one more time
transfer to a wide flat tupperware
cover the tupperware and place in the freezer
every half an hour, remove the granita from the freezer and break up the slush with a fork
cover and return to the freezer to chill further
repeat for about 2.5-3hr until all the liquid has frozen and the granita is light and fluffy
spoon into chilled bowls with a small spoon of dollop cream and eat immediately