Name: Toasted Coconut, Lychee, and Lime Granita
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ½ cup (1½ ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut; 1 (20-ounce) can lychees in syrup, undrained; ½ cup canned coconut milk; ½ cup coconut water; ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar; 2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus ¼ cup lime juice, plus extra zest for garnish (3 limes); ¼ teaspoon table salt

Why This Recipe Works

This tropical-flavored granita is as easy to prepare as it is refreshing—just a quick mix, a few hours in the freezer, and a fork to scrape it into delicate flakes. Toasting the coconut deepened its nutty aroma and infusing it into coconut milk extracted its essential oils, carrying its rich flavors into every bite. Lychees brought floral sweetness, while a splash of lime juice brightened and sharpened the tropical notes. A precise balance of sugar and liquid ensured a smooth, icy texture that was light, not cloying.

Before You Begin

Coconut water has naturally present sugar, but look for coconut water with no added sugar for this recipe. Many brands of coconut milk separate during storage; be sure to stir yours until it’s smooth before measuring it. Like all frozen desserts, granita melts quickly. Serving in chilled bowls or glasses helps to slow that down a little. For an extra garnish, toast an additional ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut and sprinkle over individual servings.

Instructions

Toast ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut in 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat until golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to blender along with 1 (20-ounce) can lychees and their syrup, ½ cup canned coconut milk, ½ cup coconut water, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon table salt. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Using spatula, press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Stir 2 teaspoons grated lime zest into mixture in dish then carefully transfer to freezer. Freeze, uncovered, until edges are frozen and center is slushy, about 1 hour.

Using fork, scrape edges to release crystals. Stir crystals into center of mixture and return dish to freezer. Using tines of fork to mash any large chunks, repeat scraping and stirring every hour until granita crystals are uniformly light and fluffy, 3 to 4 hours.

Just before serving, scrape granita with fork to loosen. Spoon into chilled bowls or glasses and serve, sprinkling with extra lime zest. (Any remaining granita can be transferred to airtight container and frozen for up to 1 week. Scrape granita again to loosen before serving.)