Best Creamy Melon Granita Recipes

Watermelon Granita Parfait image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Categories dessert

Time 4h20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups watermelon scraps and uneven pieces plus 2 cups 2-inch cubes watermelon (no rind or seeds)
2 tablespoons honey
Zest and juice from 2 medium limes
1 pint heavy cream
Flake sea salt such as Maldon, for sprinkling
Sugar, for sprinkling
1 pint lemon sorbet

Steps:

Make the granita: Puree the unevenly cut watermelon, honey, half the lime zest and juice from 1 of the limes in a blender on low speed until smooth. Pour into a 9-by-11-inch or 9-by-13-inch baking dish and freeze until it hardens completely, 3 to 4 hours.
Whip the cream: Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, then whip the cream in the mixer on medium speed until it holds fairly stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Get ready: Arrange the watermelon cubes in a single layer on a clean work surface and add a tiny sprinkle of the sea salt and some sugar and the remaining lime zest and juice.
Assemble: Arrange a few cubes of watermelon in the bottom of each serving glass or dish. Put a tablespoon of sorbet on top of the watermelon. Spoon a generous tablespoon whipped cream over the sorbet. Use the tines of a fork to scrape some of the granita off the surface. Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of the granita over the cream. Repeat the same order of layers 1 to 2 more times. Serve immediately.

Charentais Granita With Chantilly Cream image

Provided by Lora Zarubin

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
3 cups chilled 1-inch cubes peeled seeded Charentais or other melon
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Steps:

Place sugar, 1/2 cup water, and orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 1 minute. Pour into 8x8x2-inch metal pan and cool.
Puree melon in processor until smooth but some texture remains. Measure scant 2 cups melon puree and add to syrup in pan. Whisk to blend. Freeze mixture until thoroughly frozen, about 4 hours, stirring with fork every 1 1/2 hours. Cover and keep frozen.
Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Using fork, scrape granita into icy flakes. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons granita into each of 6 glasses. Top granita with 1 rounded tablespoon whipped cream. Repeat layering with granita and whipped cream. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired, and serve immediately.