On a hot and humid New York City summer day, nothing beats a couple of slices of ice-cold watermelon to cool me off (as much as possible, anyway). Nothing, that is, until I made this rosy pink, icy cold, lime-scented watermelon granita for my frozen dessert class at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. Granitas are typically made by freezing fruity liquid in a shallow pan and scraping the mixture with a fork at regular intervals as it freezes. That’s pretty simple, but I didn’t want to be tied to setting a timer and scraping. I had heard about making granita in a food processor using frozen cubes of fruit purée, and I decided to test the process. It worked perfectly; the granita was fluffy and the watermelon taste shone through.
Watermelon Granita with Chocolate Seeds
Makes about 1 1/2 pints
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds watermelon, cubed and seeded
- 1/4 cup organic granulated sugar, ground in a blender until powdered
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 to 2 ounces dark chocolate (any percentage), chopped into small chunks for the “seeds” (use more if you like)
- Flaked sea salt (optional)
Preparation
1. Purée the watermelon cubes in a food processor or blender and pour into a bowl. (You should have 2 cups of juice.) Add the powdered sugar and lime juice to the purée and whisk briskly until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until hard. This can take up to 24 hours.
3. Make the granita: Put a 2-quart container with a lid into the freezer. Transfer the frozen cubes to a food processor. Limit the number of cubes to no more than a double layer at a time so that the granita does not get slushy. Pulse a dozen or so times in 2 to 3-second bursts until the cubes are finely chopped. The number of pulses will depend on your machine.
4. Scrape the granita into the chilled container, cover the container, and return it to the freezer; repeat with the remaining cubes if necessary.
Serving: 
The granita is ready to eat right out of the food processor. Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with as many chocolate “seeds” as you like. I believe watermelon benefits from a sprinkling of flaked sea salt, and if you agree, sprinkle a bit over each bowl. Keeping: Freeze the granita in a covered container. For the best flavor and texture, eat the granita within one week. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Recipes reprinted with permission from Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts, by Fran Costigan, (Running Press 2013). Photo credit: © Kate Lewis
