Author Notes
To make a good granita, watermelon would normally need a little jolt of lime or lemon juice to make the flavor pop. But Campari is a more compelling way to do that job—and then some. Its bitter herbal flavor adds alluring complexity to the innocent watermelon. Put in another way: If watermelon were your date, Campari would make him (or her) much sexier. Try it. —Alice Medrich
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Ingredients
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8 cups
(1200 grams) bite-size watermelon chunks (from a 5-pound watermelon)
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1/4 cup
sugar (plus 1 tablespoon if the watermelon is not very sweet)
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1/4 cup
plus 2 tablespoons Campari, plus extra for drizzling
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Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or sliced strawberries, for serving (optional)
Directions
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Purée the watermelon in batches in a food processor or blender. You should have 5 cups.
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Stir the sugar and Campari into the purée and let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
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Stir and pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish (such as a 9- by 13-inch).
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Cover the dish and put it in the freezer until the mixture is about 2/3 frozen, 2 1/2 to 3 hours depending on the size of the dish.
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Use a fork to scrape and break the mixture into shards and crystals, then return the pan to the freezer.
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When completely frozen, scrape and toss the granita one more time. Keep frozen until serving. Serve plain or, if you like, with a little extra Campari drizzled over the top, with or without whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or ripe strawberries.
My career was sparked by a single bite of a chocolate truffle, made by my Paris landlady in 1972. I returned home to open this country’s first chocolate bakery and dessert shop, Cocolat, and I am often “blamed” for introducing chocolate truffles to America. Today I am the James Beard Foundation and IACP award-winning author of ten cookbooks, teach a chocolate dessert class on Craftsy.com, and work with some of the world’s best chocolate companies. In 2018, I won the IACP Award for Best Food-Focused Column (this one!).
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