Iced Tea Granita Recipes

PERFECT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Hot-Brewed:
• Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
• Cold-Brewed:
• Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
• Sweet Teas:
• Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
• Orange Add 6 strips zest
• Blackberries 1 cup
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
• Vanilla 1 halved bean
• Mint 3 sprigs
• Ginger 1 cup sliced
• Lemon 8 strips zest
• Nectarine 1 cup chopped
• Cucumber 2 cups chopped

ICED TEA GRANITA

Steps:

• Place tea bags in a large bowl and pour boiling water over tea bags; steep 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard tea bags.
• Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, and light-colored corn syrup in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
• Add sugar mixture and fresh lemon juice to tea; stir to combine.
• Let cool to room temperature and pour cooled tea mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.
• Remove tea mixture from freezer; scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy.
• Spoon into a container; cover and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs, if desired.

TEA GRANITA WITH ROSE WATER AND BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Stir 5 cups water, sugar, and rose water in large pitcher until sugar dissolves. Add tea bags, pushing to submerge. Cover with foil; place on sunny windowsill. Let steep until tea is dark, at least 3 hours.
• Remove tea bags and discard. Mix half and half into tea. Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch glass dish. Freeze until frozen around edges, about 1 hour. Coarsely chop mixture in dish. Freeze until almost solid, about 1 hour longer.
• Working in 2 batches, transfer granita to processor and blend until smooth. Return to same dish and freeze 1 hour. Repeat blending in 2 batches 1 more time. Freeze 1 hour.
• Using tines of fork, scrape granita in dish into flakes. Cover; freeze.
• Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Spoon granita into dishes; sprinkle with rose petals, if desired. Serve granita with baklava.