GREEN APPLE GRANITA

Green Apple Granita image

Yield serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
Juice of 3 limes
5 Granny Smith apples, about 2 pounds, peeled, cored, and cut into medium dice
1/2 cup apple liqueur, such as Apple Pucker

Steps:

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the water and sugar. Cook and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup looks clear, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool the syrup by pouring it into a bowl and putting it into the refrigerator or over an ice bath.
Put the lime juice into a large bowl. Add the apples to the lime juice, and toss as you go so they don't turn brown. Put the apples and lime juice, sugar syrup, and apple liqueur in a blender; puree until completely smooth. Pour the apple mixture into a shallow baking pan and freeze for 1 hour. Using a fork or a couple of chopsticks, break up all the ice crystals on the bottom and sides of the pan. This incorporates air so the final product literally melts in your mouth. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, until the mixture has reached a frozen granular consistency. You can serve it two ways: Either rake the granita with the tines of a fork for a snow-cone-like product or run an ice-cream scooper down the length for a smooth Italian-ice-like result. Spoon it into a wine or martini glass.