[WATCH] Strawberry and champagne granita

Watch Sean Gravina make a strawberry granita with equipment no more fancy than a fork!

Strawberry and champagne granita

Ingredients

• 900g ripe strawberries, plus handful to garnish
• 125g molasses sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 150ml champagne, plus optional extra to serve
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Mint leaves
• Lemon zest

Method

1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries, then put them into a large heatproof bowl.
2. Stir in the sugar and water and add a sprig of mint leaves, then stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir the strawberries frequently to help dissolve the sugar.  
3. Carefully cover the bowl with a plate (or the lid of a saucepan) and gently steam for about 30 to 40 mins until the strawberries are very soft and have released their juices.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and strain the strawberry juice through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Cool, the mix in the champagne and lemon juice.
5. Pour the mixture into a wide, shallow container and freeze for 1 – 2 hours until partially frozen. Stir the ice crystals round the sides of the container into the liquid centre.
6. Return to the freezer for another couple of hours and give the mixture another stir.
7. When ready to serve, hull and cut a few strawberries into quarters. Drop them into individual serving glasses.
8. Scrape the granita with a strong spoon and place into the glasses over the strawberries.  
9. Add a splash of champagne, top with some zested lemon and a few mint leaves and serve immediately.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 1 May, 2015.