Best Champagne Granita Recipes

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour.
• Using the finest grater you have, lightly scrape the skin of 1 lemon, removing only the top surface of the peel. Squeeze out the juice and remove the seeds from both lemons.
• Open the Champagne or sparkling wine, and pour it into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch pan. Mix in the simple syrup, lemon juice, and grated zest. Place mixture into the freezer. Check after 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, break up any ice formed on the sides and stir into the rest of the liquid. Continue to freeze and repeat this procedure every hour for at least 3 hours. Before serving, fluff the granita by "chopping" up any clumps with the spoon or gently whisking the frozen mixture. Spoon into small glasses or cups and serve.

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Combine sugar and 2 1/2 cups water in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl set over the ice bath, and cool completely.
• Add champagne to sugar, and stir to combine. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Stir with tines of a fork, scraping up icy parts. Return to freezer, and stir every 20 minutes until mixture is frozen and texture is similar to shaved ice. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT, STRAWBERRY, AND CHAMPAGNE GRANITA WITH SUGARED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Stir 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool. Puree 1 cup strawberries in processor. Whisk 1/2 cup puree into sugar syrup. Mix in grapefruit juice, then Champagne. Pour mixture into 8-inch square metal baking pan. Freeze mixture until firm, stirring every 2 hours, about 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
• Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon peel in pie plate. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mascarpone around pointed tip half of each whole strawberry. Dip in lemon sugar to coat mascarpone.
• Moisten rims of 6 Martini glasses with water; dip rims into remaining lemon sugar. Scrape fork across surface of granita to form ice shavings. Mound granita in glasses. Garnish with sugared berries and serve immediately.
• *Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Mix the 3/4 cup of sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let cool. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, combine the berries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, sliced mint and Grand Marnier, if using. Cover and let stand for at least 2 hours.
• In a shallow nonreactive pan, combine the sugar syrup, Champagne, orange juice and 4 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours.
• To serve, scrape the granita with a fork into large crystals. Spoon into chilled martini or other wide-mouthed glasses. Surround with berries and garnish with mint. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY, CITRUS, AND CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Cool. Refrigerate syrup until cold, about 45 minutes.
• Puree enough strawberries (about 6 large) in blender to yield 1/2 cup puree. Transfer strawberry puree to large bowl. Mix grapefruit juice, Champagne, lemon juice and chilled syrup into strawberry puree. Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
• Freeze Champagne mixture until icy at edge of pan, about 55 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Freeze again until icy at edge of pan and overall texture is slushy, about 40 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Cover and freeze until mixture is solid, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, slice remaining strawberries. Place in large bowl and toss with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
• Using fork, scrape granita down length of pan, forming ice flakes. (Granita can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.) Divide sliced strawberries equally among 6 wineglasses. Top with granita and serve immediately.

3-INGREDIENT BLUEBERRY CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring sugar, 1 cup blueberries, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Transfer blueberry syrup to a medium bowl set inside an ice bath and let cool.
• Purée syrup and remaining blueberries in a food processor until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 13x9" (or other 3-qt.) freezer-safe baking dish, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids.
• Pour sparkling wine into baking dish and stir to combine. Freeze mixture until just beginning to crystallize, about 2 hours. Scrape with a fork, then continue to freeze, scraping every hour, until texture is similar to shaved ice, 3-4 hours more. Cover with plastic wrap and keep frozen until ready to serve.
• Do Ahead
• Granita can be made 5 days ahead; keep frozen.

CRANBERRY-CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the lime zest in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Drain and discard liquid; set the zest aside. , In a small saucepan, bring cranberry juice and sugar to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in champagne and lime zest., Transfer to a 13x9x2-in. dish; cool to room temperature. Freeze for 1 hour; stir with a fork. Freeze 2-3 hours longer or until completely frozen, stirring every 30 minutes., Stir granita with a fork just before serving; spoon into dessert dishes.

TROPICAL FRUIT CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and cool syrup.
• In a blender or food processor purée pineapple with 1/4 cup plus
• 2 tablespoons syrup (reserving remaining syrup for another use). Stir in nectar or juice and Champagne. Pineapple mixture may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Transfer pineapple mixture to a shallow metal baking pan and freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every hour, until mixture is firm but not frozen hard, about 3 to 4 hours. Granita may be made 2 days ahead and frozen, covered. Just before serving, scrape granita with a fork to lighten texture.
• Scoop granita into serving bowls.

RASPBERRY-CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the raspberries and lime juice in a blender; process until smooth.
• Combine water, sugar and champagne in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute or until sugar melts.
• Remove from heat, stir in raspberry puree.
• Pour the mixture into a large, shallow baking dish.
• Cover and freeze 8 hours.
• Remove dish from freezer and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy.

CHAMPAGNE-AND-ORANGE GRANITA COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Combine orange juice and sugar, and stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish. Freeze, scraping around sides and breaking any lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, until evenly frozen, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap. Granita can be made 1 day ahead and kept in freezer until ready to serve.
• Spoon 1/2 cup granita into each of 12 glasses, and add 1/2 teaspoon liqueur. Top off with Champagne.

ORANGE CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place a 9 x 13-inch metal baking dish in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• Combine the orange juice and champagne in a large bowl. Stir the sugar syrup into the orange mixture, and pour the mixture into the chilled pan. Place the pan in the freezer and chill until ice crystals form around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and stir the mixture with a fork to incorporate the ice crystals. Continue freezing and stirring every 30 minutes until all the liquid is frozen, about 2 hours.

CHAMPAGNE GRANITA

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until sugar dissolves and the foaming just starts to subside (some foaming will help the granita stay light and airy as it freezes).
• Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Freeze on the floor of the freezer for about 2 hours, stirring with a fork every 20 minutes.
• When the granita is frozen but soft, smooth out the crystals and cover the pan with plastic wrap.
• Tightly sealed, the granita can stay in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• Serve by scraping up the ice crystals with a fork and mounding them in cups, bowls, or glasses.

CHAMPAGNE CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Puree the cantaloupe in a blender until smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine the wine and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved; allow the bubbles time to settle. Add the pureed cantaloupe, the lime juice and the lime zest to the bowl. Stir well.
• Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and, using a fork, scrape the granita into flakes. Freeze for another 2 to 3 hours.
• Serve the granita in martini glasses, garnished with a mint leaf.

CHAMPAGNE-CASSIS GRANITA

Steps:

• In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the Champagne. Stir in the crème de cassis. Freeze according to the instructions for freezing granita on page 145.
• Although Champagne-Cassis Granita is delicious just as it is, a scoop of Raspberry-Champágne Sorbet (page 132) at the bottom of the glass is an elegant touch.

CHAMPAGNE-CASSIS GRANITA

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat and add the Champagne; stir in the creme de cassis.
• Pour mixture into 2-quart container (sides should be about 2 inches high) and place in the freezer.
• Begin checking it after about 1 hour; once it begins to freeze around the edges, take a fork and stir the mixture, breaking up the frozen parts near the edges into smaller chunks and raking them toward the center.
• Return dish to freezer, then check mixture every 30 minutes afterward, stirring each time and breaking up any large chunks into small pieces with a fork, until you have beautiful, fine crystals.
• Because the granita may melt rapidly, suggest spooning into chilled goblets and letting rest in the freezer until ready to serve.

WATERMELON GRANITA WITH CHAMPAGNE

Steps:

• Place cubed watermelon and sugar in the pitcher of a blender. Blend for 1 minute. Stir in the champagne. Pour the watermelon mixture into a plastic container, cover and place in the freezer. Stir the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes until frozen, about 2 hours.
• Before serving, remove the frozen granita from the freezer and stir well using a fork or place in the food processor and process until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve in tall glasses garnished with sliced watermelon.