Almond Granita with Fresh Cream
Similar to sorbet, granita is an Italian frozen dessert popular in the summer. This version is made with roasted almonds and topped with vanilla cream to make a light yet decadent dessert.
Introduction
Granita is essential when it’s hot in Italy. This almond granita is both refreshing and a treat to eat. Be careful not to roast the nuts too much as this will overpower the flavour. I have added sweet cream and roasted the strained nut pulp, which adds a welcome crunch. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
Ingredients
| 250g (9oz) | blanched almonds |
| 200g (7oz/1 cup) | caster (superfine) sugar |
| 400ml (14fl oz/1¾ cups) | mineral water |
| 300ml (10½fl oz/1¼ cups) | double (heavy) cream |
| ½ tsp | vanilla extract |
| 50g (1¾oz/generous ⅓ cup) | icing (confectioners’) sugar |
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
Place the almonds on a roasting tray and cook for 12 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and cool down, then add to a food processor with the sugar and mineral water. Blitz at full speed for 2 minutes so the mixture is very smooth. Line a fine sieve (strainer) with a fine-mesh cloth and pour the mixture through the cloth and sieve into a bowl. Squeeze the cloth so you get all the almond juice out of the almonds. Keep the almond paste to one side.
Pour the almond liquid into a flat container and place in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for 2 hours, break up the semi-frozen mix with a fork until it starts to form ice crystals, then forms a slushy, icy granita.
Scatter the strained almond paste evenly over an oven tray lined with baking parchment and cook in the oven for 10 minutes so that it turns a little caramelized. Cool down and keep to one side.
Whip the cream with the vanilla and icing sugar until soft peaks are formed.
Put the almond granita into ice-cold serving glasses and top each with a generous spoonful of the vanilla cream. Sprinkle over the caramelized almond to serve.
Reviews
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