Strawberry and champagne granita
- 2 pounds ripe strawberries, plus a handful for garnish
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup champagne, plus optional extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions:
To make it child-friendly, use cranberry juice in place of
champagne and top with a little cold milk to make a milky
strawberry slush.
- Hull and roughly chop the strawberries, then put them into a large heatproof bowl. Stir in the sugar and water. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir frequently to help dissolve the sugar. Carefully cover the bowl with a plate (or the lid of a saucepan) and gently steam until the strawberries are very soft and have released their juices, 30–40 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and strain the strawberry juice through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Let cool, then mix in the champagne and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a wide, shallow container and freeze until partially frozen, 1–2 hours.
- Stir the ice crystals around the sides of the container into the liquid center. Return to the freezer and freeze for 1–2 hours longer, then give the mixture another stir as before.
- When ready to serve, hull a few strawberries and cut into quarters. Drop them into individual serving glasses. Scrape the granita with a strong spoon and pile into the glasses over the strawberries. If you wish, pour in a splash of champagne and serve immediately.