Beetroot Rose Granita

18 August

When I made the beetroot sorbet, I loved the flavors so  much that I wanted to use the same flavors to make more frozen desserts. Making Granita was on my mind for quite sometime now after watching the contestant of Masterchef Australia spinning up beautiful Granitas day in and day out. Among all types of frozen dessert Granita looked the easiest to make. 

Our heart craves nothing more than refreshing icy snacks in summer. Irrespective of the age, we all love popsicles, ice cream, gelatos and other frozen treats. Granita is a recent addition to the global list of frozen desserts. The cooking shows are now responsible for bringing many local recipes on the global stage. Granita is the Italian version of shaved ice but with a little twist. The texture of granita usually ranges from slushies to sorbets.

 The fun part in making a granita is, even if they melt when you take it out of the freezer, you can repeat the scraping process, and it will return back to the crystalline form. So you basically cannot go wrong with a granita ever ! 

You might have tried out many fruity flavors of granita, but trust me this beetroot rose Granita is a unique flavor you are going to love. Especially the floral rosy essence and the vibrant red color was definitely a hit at least in my home.  This is such an easy recipe that even your kids can make it themselves with a little help. So try it once and let me know.

Preparation Time: 15  minutes

Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Freezing Time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients :

• Beetroot - 1 big (washed, peeled and cubed) about 1 cup pulp
• Rose water - 2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Water - 2 cup
• Lemon - 1/2 

Equipment:

• Fruit Juice Strainer
• Mixer Grinder
• Pan
• Freezer Safe tray
• Fork

Method

1. Puree the beetroot cubes with water till you get a smoothie like consistency. Now strain the mixture to remove all the coarse particles. This will ensure a smooth texture in the sorbet.

2. On medium heat combine the beetroot purée and sugar in a pan. Keep stirring often as it comes to a rolling boil. Continue boiling till the raw smell is gone.

3. You might see a lot of foam forming on the top as the purée boils, skim it with a spoon as they form. Finally you will get the clear liquid only.

4. Now allow the purée to come to room temperature. Add the rose water and the lemon juice. Stir well. 

Tip: Lemon juice will enhance the taste

5. Pour the fruit purée into a shallow pan for freezing. Granita freezes faster in a metal pan so use any metal tray or even a metal plate would work. Now freeze the mixture for about 30-40 minutes till the top and sides start to freeze. 

6. Now take the tray out and scrape the partially frozen granita roughly with the fork to break any large chunks. Freeze for another 30 minutes and then scrape with a fork again.

7. Repeat this steps every 30 minute for 3-4 hours until the mixture gets the texture of crushed ice. 

You can enjoy the granita as is or you can add a dollop of frozen granita on breakfast yoghurt or any other innovative ways you can come up with.