I wanted something super summer-y and delicious and I don’t think anything fits those requirements more than this Mint Watermelon Granita! It’s so easy to make, just takes a bit of time, and is the most refreshing thing on a hot summer afternoon. There are also just so many variations for this, I really should have been making it all summer long!

• 

• 

THE RECIPE

It really doesn’t get more simple than this:

• watermelon juice – so simple to make by blending up some watermelon and then straining it, that’s it!
• mint simple syrup – three ingredients make a delightful, sweet, flavorful element for this granita
• lime juice – gotta have some acid with all of that sweet, and the lime flavor comes through beautifully but not in an overpowering way!

That’s really it for the ingredients! Making granita is more about the technique of disrupting the ice crystals as they freeze so that you get something that’s similar to shaved ice instead of one solid ice cube.

VARIATIONS

This one is so, so fun to riff on! There are some key elements that you can switch up in millions of ways:

• fruit juice – you can use literally any fruit juice for this! with watermelon, the juice on it’s own is perfect. However, for other fruits, you need to thin out their juice a bit to ensure you get the right consistency. The fruit juice should be pretty thin, and if it resembles a smoothie even a bit you’ll need to add some water
• sweetener – simple syrup, a 1:1 combination of sugar and water, is the classic sweetener here. you can add more flavor by steeping herbs in it, like I do in this recipe with the mint, or you can keep this part plain with just sugar and water. the amount you need will depend on the sweetness of the fruit juice you’re using, but start with 1/4 cup and taste and adjust from there
• acid – the sweetness from the fruit juice and simple syrup need some balance, and any kind of citrus is perfect for that! lemon or lime are classic, but you could get creative and use grapefruit if you wanted to!
• extras – while you don’t really need anything else, you could add some booze (but not too much or your granita won’t freeze!) or some kind of mix in like chocolate chips to your granita creation!

If you keep those elements in mind you can make a successful granita out of almost anything! Just follow the proper technique and you’ll be in good shape.