author: steveandsarah
created: 2006-08-05 02:16:46
servings: never enough
notes:
This is adapted from a NY Times Magazine recipe, but somewhat simplified. Perfect for a heat wave.
recipe:
14 ounces almond paste, broken into pieces 2 1/4 cups whole milk pinch of cinnamon In a saucepan, combine 4 cups of water, the almond paste, and milk. As it heats, use the back of a spoon or potato masher to crush and dissolve the paste. When the mixture begins to steam -- before it boils -- take it off the heat. Let cool slightly, then carefully whiz with an immersion blender until the paste is fully incorporated. [At this point the recipe says to strain through cheesecloth. We did this with half the batch and it left nothing but some foam in the cheesecloth; the other half we put directly in the freezer and it tasted the same. Maybe it would be necessary if your almond paste were really chunky...] When cool, add a pinch of cinnamon. Pour into a shallow baking pan and freeze. Check after about 30 minutes; when it begins to get icy, use the back of a large spoon to press down on the mixture and break it into pieces. Repeat several times over the next two hours, until the granita is fully frozen but broken into shards. [They suggest serving it layered in a glass with crushed amaretti cookies, which I'm sure would be delicious but is a bit fancy-pants if you ask me.]