Celebrate the Fourth with a cool, fruity treat that is spiked with champagne from Patissier Francois Payard. This granite is a deliciously smooth icy dessert and you can easily make it at home by freezing a fruity simple syrup and juice mixture in a large pan and then scraping it every few hours with a fork to keep the ice crystals small. That is of course the short version, but it's really that easy to do.
Now that you have the technique, try making it with your favorite fruits and herbs and making this recipe your own. Nothing would be more welcome than a dish of this yummy dessert ( or is it a frozen cocktail?) on a hot summer night.
Pink Champagne and Raspberry Granité
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
2 ½ pints raspberries
½ pint blueberries
1 ⅓ cups sugar
One 750-ml bottle rosé champagne
Juice of 1 lemon
1) Combine 2 pints of raspberries, the sugar, and ¼ cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
2) Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in the champagne and lemon juice. Scrape the mixture into a shallow metal baking pan, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours. (You can make the granité ahead and keep it covered in the freezer for up to 3 days.)
3) Using the tip of a spoon or the tines of a fork, scrape the granité into chilled dessert glasses, garnish with the remaining ½ pint raspberries and the blueberries, and serve immediately.
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