Good, aromatic tea has many faces. In winter, it can divinely warm up your chilled body, and in summer it can be pleasantly cool and refreshing. So, today I will show you three different recipes for a refreshing tea granita, which is perfect for hot summer days, bringing you delicately sweet, crisp comfort.
Granita – a dessert straight from Sicily
Granita is a traditional Sicilian dessert that is phenomenal in its simplicity and surprising in its unique taste. To make it, you need literally two or three ingredients and a little patience as it needs to be mixed several times while freezing. Mixing is necessary to get an interesting, lumpy structure, which actually gives granita its name as “granire” is Italian for “forming grains”. In addition, it is this characteristic texture that distinguishes granita from sorbet. You can eat the dessert traditionally with a spoon or, when it starts to melt, drink it through a straw. The original granita is most often prepared with coffee or fruit juices, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t make it from your favorite tea and enjoy a tasty, icy refreshment.
Tea in the lead role
The perfect basis for a tea granita will simply be your favorite tea. Black tea in different varieties, green teas, as well as all kinds of fruit or herbal teas will work just as fine. Tea blends with the addition of herbs, spices or fruit will also work well – I’m sure that everyone will find something they like. Anyway, regardless of the type of tea, it is worth paying special attention to its quality, so that it is prepared from whole leaves, pieces of dried fruit and spices. Such an infusion will provide a unique taste and aroma of the dessert. In addition, the drink should be intense and concentrated, as it loses some strength during freezing.
Additions
The taste and refreshing value of a tea granita can be boosted with appropriately selected additions. The most common variation in the dessert is citrus juice, which gives an extra refreshing note. Aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla and coriander are also great. Seriously, spices work as well in warming drinks as in frozen ones. So, we can reach for fresh fruit, ginger root, as well as sweet, full-flavored fruit or flower syrups, e.g. elderberry or lavender.
How to make a tea granita? See for yourself how easy it is. Let’s get started!
Peach granita with a hint of mango
Ingredients:
- Teapigs Cold Brew Peach Mango tea temple
- juice from 1/2 orange
- a few leaves of mint
- powdered sugar to taste
Preparation:
- Prepare 400 ml of peach-mango cold brew tea together with mint leaves rubbed in your hands so that the brew is concentrated, preferably extending the maceration time.
- When cold brew is ready, add the juice squeezed from half the orange and powdered sugar to your taste.
- Pour everything into a shallow, wide container and put it in the freezer for a few hours. During freezing, for the first 3-4 hours (preferably until the right structure is obtained), mix the tea every 30 minutes with a fork to form small crystals of the frozen mass.
- When ready, put the granita into glasses and serve with a spoon or a straw
Super fruity granita with raspberry syrup
Ingredients:
- 2 Teapigs Super Fruit tea temples
- approx. 5 tablespoons of raspberry juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- optional sugar to taste
- fresh raspberries
Preparation:
- Brew 400 ml of fruit tea together with a cinnamon stick so that the infusion is concentrated.
- Add the raspberry syrup to the ready infusion, possibly a little sugar to taste, mix and cool.
- Pour the cooled brew into a shallow, wide container and put it in the freezer for a few hours. During freezing, for the first 3-4 hours (preferably until the right structure is obtained), stir the tea every 30 minutes with a fork to form small crystals of the frozen mass.
- When ready, put the granita into glasses, you can additionally pour raspberry syrup and decorate with fresh raspberries. Serve with a spoon or straw.
Green tea granita with elderberry flower syrup
Ingredients:
- Teapigs Green Tea with Mint tea temples
- about 5 tablespoons of elderberry flower syrup
- ½ lime juice
- optional sugar to taste
Preparation:
- Brew 400 ml of green tea so that the infusion is concentrated.
- When the infusion is ready, add the juice squeezed from half a lime, elderberry syrup, and a little sugar to taste and cool.
- Pour the cooled brew into a shallow, wide container and put it in the freezer for a few hours. During freezing, for the first 3-4 hours (preferably until the right structure is obtained), mix the tea every 30 minutes with a fork to form small crystals of the frozen mass.
- When ready, put the granita into glasses and serve with a spoon or a straw.
Feel free to use your ideas and be sure to let us know which version of granita has conquered your taste buds. Have a sunny summer!
