Go Back
Celery pineapple mint granita with loose pale yellow crystals in four chilled bowls
Family Recipe HQ

Celery Pineapple Mint Granita

A coarse, fork-scraped frozen dessert made from pineapple, a modest amount of celery, mint and lime. A blender and shallow pan replace a juicer or ice cream machine.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 small dessert servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Granita base
  • 300 g prepared fresh pineapple, about 1 3/4 cups chunks; skin, eyes and tough core removed
  • 75 g celery ribs, about 3/4 cup thin slices; washed and tough strings removed
  • 3/4 cup cold water, 180 ml
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 50 g
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 15 ml
  • 1 tablespoon loosely packed fresh mint leaves, about 2 g; washed, with tough stems removed

Equipment

  • Blender suitable for fibrous produce
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Spatula
  • 8-inch square shallow freezer-safe metal pan
  • Fork
  • Freezer-safe lidded container

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Make a flat space in the freezer for an 8-inch square shallow metal pan. Wash the produce. Cut the prepared pineapple into chunks and slice the celery thinly across its fibers.
  2. Stir the sugar into the measured water for 2–3 minutes to begin dissolving it. Add to the blender with the pineapple, celery and lime juice. Blend for 60–90 seconds, stopping and scraping as needed, until the produce is finely broken down and the sugar is dissolved. Add the mint and pulse briefly.
  3. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Press firmly with a spatula to extract liquid while leaving the coarse celery and pineapple fibers behind. Do not add extra water to force more liquid through.
  4. Pour the strained base into the metal pan in a layer no deeper than about 1/2 inch. Cover and freeze flat for about 45 minutes, until ice begins forming around the edges.
  5. Scrape the icy edges toward the center with a fork and break up any frozen sheets. Cover and return to the freezer. Repeat every 30–45 minutes for approximately 3–4 hours total freezing, until the whole mixture is loose crystals with no liquid pool. Freezer temperature can change the timing.
  6. Fluff again just before serving and divide among four chilled small bowls. Transfer any extra to a covered freezer container promptly.

Notes

Yield: 4 small dessert servings. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 0 minutes. Total: 260 minutes.
Times are planning estimates. See the notes for resting, chilling or cooling time included in the total.
The 260-minute estimate includes 4 hours freezing; fork-scraping is done during that interval. Serve as loose crystals, not smooth sorbet. Contains celery. Keep frozen at 0°F (-18°C) or below and aim to use within 1 week for best texture. Freezing does not replace washing produce or safe handling. If it freezes solid, soften only briefly until a fork can scrape it; do not thaw the whole batch into liquid.