Watermelon and vodka granita

Name: Watermelon and vodka granita
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 small watermelon, peeled and deseeded (see tips); 130ml vodka; For the syrup; 150 caster sugar; Zest and juice 2 limes; 40g fresh ginger, grated; A few fresh mint leaves, chopped

Published: 29 Jul 15
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

An adults-only treat to serve at your next soirée, our boozy watermelon granita – made with lime, ginger and mint – is great served as dessert or in-between courses.

Or, for something a little different, try our melon and gin granita recipe.

Serves 8
Hands-on time 20 min, plus freezing

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Ingredients

1 small watermelon, peeled and deseeded (see tips)
130ml vodka

For the syrup

150 caster sugar
Zest and juice 2 limes
40g fresh ginger, grated
A few fresh mint leaves, chopped

Method

Roughly chop the watermelon, put it into a blender or food processor with the vodka and whizz until smooth (see tips). Strain into a deep tray, then freeze for 1 hour. Drag a fork through the granita to break up the ice crystals, then freeze for 45 minutes more. Drag the fork through again. Repeat after another 45 minutes or so until the ice has a rough, grainy texture.
Meanwhile make the syrup. Dissolve the sugar in 80ml water in a pan on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until clear. Boil the syrup briskly, adding the zest and juice of the limes and grated ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes until just syrupy, then cool but don’t put in the fridge. To serve, scoop the granita into glasses, drizzle over the syrup and scatter with the chopped mint.

Recipe from July 2015 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 172kcals
Fat: 0.6g (0.2g saturated)
Protein: 1.1g
Carbohydrates: 32g (31.7g sugars)
Fibre: 0.3g
Salt: trace salt

delicious. tips

Taste the melon and if it’s not super-sweet, dissolve 1 tbsp sugar in 1 tbsp boiling water, then add it with the vodka in step 1.

To prepare watermelon, slice off the ends. Rest it on a flat end, then slice off the skin in strips, turning the melon as you go. Cut vertically into slices, break them along the seed lines, then remove the seeds.
Make the granita up to 2 days in advance. Take it out of the freezer a few minutes before serving to soften it slightly.

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