Mango Colada Granita

All over Italy are shops specializing in granita, an icy dessert that originated in Sicily. Pureed fruits are often the main ingredients. They’re easy to make at home, requiring no special equipment, and the perfect sweet refreshment for a sultry evening. Naturally sweet, creamy-soft mangoes at their peak of ripeness work particularly well as a nutrient-packed base that requires no more than a smidgeon of added sugar if that. Fresh pineapple and lime juice round out the tropical profile, along with coconut water, which is high in hydrating electrolytes and minerals. (If you’re craving something closer to cocktail and don’t mind the extra calories, feel free to swap the water for cream of coconut or coconut milk, and throw in a splash of rum.) Serves 6-8. --Susan Puckett

Ingredients

·         3 cups chopped ripe mango

·         1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

·         1 cup coconut water

·         Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

·         2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Instructions

1.      Place the mango and pineapple in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth.

2.      Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or pitcher and stir in the coconut water, lime juice, and sugar to taste.

3.       Pour the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch or 8x8-inch cake pan and place in the freezer, whisking every hour or so, until almost set, about 3 hours total. Remove from the freezer and scrape the surface with the tines of a fork so that it has the consistency of shaved ice.  Then cover with plastic wrap and return it to the freezer.

4.      About 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve it, remove it from the freezer. If it’s frozen solid, allow it to stand out at room temperature to soften it up a bit, 15 minutes or so, and scrape it again to break up the mixture. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately.

5.      Leftover granita may be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. 

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.