Watermelon Sno-Cones
Whether you call this a sno-cone or a granita depends on who’s eating it.
I don’t know about you, but my interest in a watermelon generally lasts until about halfway through it. Especially if it’s big, and especially if it’s woody and pulpy, in which case I vow to return it to the store, but never do.
In the past I’ve made watermelon lemonade, which is just fine. I always intend to make watermelon margaritas, but have yet to. This summer, however, I discovered that if you puree a watermelon (chunk it and blitz in the food processor – because it’s mostly water, it pulverizes effortlessly) and freeze it, you can scrape it with a fork to make pure-fruit watermelon sno-cones; known among fancy-food eaters as granitas.
Honestly, nothing could be easier than a granita. Freeze fruit puree, or fruit juice, scrape it with a fork so that you get a sort of crystalline snow, and voila. In midwinter, I have been known to leave half a latte in the car, then scrape it out and call it espresso granita.
I made a batch with cherries and watermelon, and a batch with a splash of prosecco. (This version would be granita, obviously, rather than sno-cone.) Not many recipes are so easily played with. Just remember this one rule: if it freezes, you can make a granita out of it.
But watermelon, straight up, makes a mighty fine sno-cone, without any need for day-glo syrup.
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What a good idea Julie. I too keep saying I am going to take fruit back when it is really bad and never do. Cantaloupe is a prime example when its pale and totally tasteless and cost a few dollars. They are super good right now though.
Two words: Watermelon Sangria.
Amazing.
I love watermelon granita but I usually end up throwing it in the food processor so it’s nice and smooth. I like it better that way.
mmmm delicious! And so refreshing! I am so glad the weather is still nice to enjoy treats like this without frost on the ground.
Oooh, wonderful. I stopped buying watermelon because we ended up tossing so much of it. Great solution.
Hey Julie!
I made the same this summer, but froze the watermelon puree in ice cube containers. The kids loved to pop them into their mouths.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
MFO
when you bring a watermelon home-always put it in a cooler with cold water (& an ice pack) for about a day-this makes any watermelon taste delicious & then there is no woody & pulpy taste. if you have it longer than a day uncut-just put in another frozen ice pack to keep the water cold. throw the water afterwards onto your lawn. 🙂 waste not, want not!!
Excellent. A solution for the huge watermelon on my counter! Can’t wait to surprise the kids!
I did this once with an abundance of rhubarb I had juiced. It was refreshing, too.
Julie,
If you could help me with this, I would be super grateful!!
I need to learn to cook things that are healthy and quick to prepare and easy (and possibly can be frozen)@ Can you recommend a good cookbook with such recipes?