Time to dust off that bottle of cream Sherry lurking in the back of your liquor cabinet: Its nutty, plummy nature rounds out the flavor of the melon, and its alcohol content helps produce a granita that feels smoother, less icy, on the tongue.
Granita can be made 2 days ahead. Scrape before serving.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 1/4 hr (includes freezing)
Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then cool syrup.
Step 2
Purée cantaloupes with syrup, lemon juice, Sherry, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender (in batches if necessary) until smooth. Pour into a 13- by 9-inch nonreactive baking dish and freeze until partially frozen, about 2 hours. Scrape and stir with a fork, crushing any lumps.
Step 3
Continue to freeze, scraping once or twice, until evenly frozen, about 3 hours more.
