Granita: The Art of the Scrape

Granita is the simplest frozen dessert to make but requires patient attention over several hours. Unlike ice cream or sorbet, granita relies on manual scraping rather than churning to create its characteristic fluffy ice crystals. Pour your sweetened liquid into a shallow dish (depth matters—shallow freezes faster and more evenly), then freeze until the edges begin to set, about one hour. Use a fork to scrape the frozen edges toward the center, breaking up ice crystals as you go. Return to the freezer and repeat every 30-45 minutes until the entire mixture is fluffy, icy shards—typically 3-4 hours total. The secret is in the scraping: vigorous fork strokes create lighter, fluffier crystals, while gentle scraping yields coarser texture. Always scrape granita fresh just before serving to restore its fluffy texture, as it compacts when stored.