Summer means ice cream, sorbets, and... granitas! Usually made with crushed ice and syrup, this refreshing dessert can also be prepared with coulis or fruit juices, and even with 100% herbal infusions. We reveal the secrets of this natural, delicious, and refreshing recipe with our homemade mint-licorice granita.
Halfway between a frosty drink and a frozen dessert, granita has found its place in the sun.
Coming from the South of Italy, this Sicilian specialty made from crushed ice seduces with its thirst-quenching side but also with its original texture, both fine and grainy with its pieces of ice that crunch under the tooth and almost instantly cause a sensation of freshness in the mouth.
Initially, Sicilians mixed ice cream and lemon juice to delight their taste buds. Over time, granita traveled, and everyone added their own twist. Syrup, coulis, fresh fruit, juices, and even infusions...
A story of transforming the granita that is either too sweet or too overwhelming into a healthy, delicate and always refreshing dessert.
Our revisited mint granita
To revisit a great classic, you don't have to waste time and effort. On the contrary: the idea is to reinvent a recipe without losing sight of its main characteristics.
For this revisited granita recipe, we therefore played the card of freshness and natural ingredients, as the Sicilians did.
We kept the grated ice spirit but replaced the lemon juice with an equally intense duo of Mint and Licorice.
Between the woody notes of the licorice stick and the freshness of the mint, the balance is perfect!
And for the sweet treat, we decided to rely on seasonal fruits: a little strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
All without flavoring or coloring since this recipe is based on fresh fruit and a homemade syrup made with a 100% natural infusion by Les 2 Marmottes.
The recipe for red fruit, mint and liquorice granita
To make this fresh and naturally fruity homemade granita, you will need:
- 2 Mint Licorice infusion bags The 2 Marmots
- 500 ml of water
- 100 g of cane sugar
- 150 g of fresh red fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
- A few fresh mint leaves for decoration (optional).
How to easily prepare your homemade mint granita?
To make your granita a success, you will need to learn the art of scraping and infusion!
Because just like with herbal tea, the idea is to infuse plants and fruits to make the granita truly delicious. We'll explain!
- Boil the water and add the two Mint and Licorice tea bags. Let it steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bags and add the cane sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until completely dissolved, then let it cool.
- Meanwhile, wash and hull the berries, then cut them into small pieces if necessary.
- In a shallow dish, mix the cooled sweet infusion with the berries and place the dish in the freezer.
- Every 30 minutes or so, scrape the mixture with a fork to form crystals until it has a grainy texture (about 3 hours).
- Divide the resulting granita into glasses or bowls. Garnish with a few fresh mint leaves.
- Serve immediately for optimal tasting!
This simple and natural recipe could well become a summer must-have for all those who swear by ice cream!
A little tip: prepare a good quantity in advance, so you will always have a dessert on hand that is as refreshing as it is surprising to offer to your guests or to keep just for yourself during the hot summer days!
