Limoncello, Pear and Riesling Granita
Serves 6
1 cup water
2 cups Riesling (see note)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 ripe pears peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1/4 cup limoncello
1. Mix together water, 1 cup wine and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add pears, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly in cooking liquid. Drain the pears, reserving the cooking liquid.
2. Puree the pears in a food processor until smooth. You should have 1 cup of pear puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Add the cooking liquid, limoncello and remaining wine to the bowl. Mix well. Pour into a shallow pan that will fit into the freezer, such as an 8 X 8-inch cake pan, and freeze.
4. Gently stir the granita every 2 hours or until frozen. This allows the mixture to freeze without separating and gives a proper crystal-like texture.
5. Once the granita is frozen, scrape the mixture with a spoon or ice cream scoop and serve immediately. Garnish with lemon zest or a sprig of mint.
Recipe note: You may substitute a dry Gewürztraminer, sweet dessert wine or port for the Riesling.
Lime cups filled with watermelon granita and dried currants look like miniature versions of half melons.
WATERMELON GRANITA
Yield: 8 servings
3 pounds ripe sweet watermelon, trimmed of rind and seeds
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup sugar
Mint sprigs for garnish
Hollowed out orange halves for serving (optional)
Raisins for garnish (optional)
1. In a blender, combine the watermelon and lime juice, pureeing until smooth.
2. Transfer to a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat after one short boil. Strain through a coarse sieve to ensure a smooth texture. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
3. Pour the mixture into a large, shallow metal pan that has been placed level in the coldest part of your freezer. Stir every 15 minutes with a fork to break up the large ice crystals until no liquid remains, about 2 to 3 hours. Spoon into chilled bowls or glasses, garnish with mint and raisins and serve.
Plum-flavored oolong sorbet
PLUM OOLONG SORBET
Yield: 6 servings.
4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plum oolong tea
3 tablespoons sugar
1. Pour water over tea and sugar. Steep 3 minutes. Strain. Cool to room temperature.
2. Pour tea mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Alternately, pour tea into a shallow dish, put in freezer and allow to freeze around edges, 1-2 hours. Remove dish from freezer and scrape ice with fork from outside edges to center. Repeat this process every half an hour at least 3 times until mixture has turned into small, sequinlike ice flakes.
3. Spoon into cups to serve.
Recipe note: Plum oolong tea can be found in some health-food stores as well as some Asian markets.
Blueberry & Citrus Sorbet Cake
Blueberry & Citrus Sorbet Cake
Makes 8 servings
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves
1 pint each, softened: orange and lemon sorbet
1 cup fresh blueberries
1. Line 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with layer of wax paper. Mix nuts and 1/4 cup preserves. Layer orange sorbet, nut mix and lemon sorbet. Wrap with foil. Freeze overnight.
2. Fold berries into remaining preserves. Invert cake on plate. Spoon 1/4 of berry mixture on cake. Top slices with remaining berry mixture.