Red grape granita with cold grapes and fennel cream

This is an excellent simple summer dessert. The sweet and icy granita keeps things cool and refreshing, giving way to the juicy pop of the fresh grapes. The fennel seed cream adds a creamy texture and interesting flavour.

Red grape granita with cold grapes and fennel cream Credit: Benito Martin

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 200 g caster sugar
• 700 g red grapes
• 200 ml pouring cream
• 1 tbsp pure icing sugar
• 2 tsp toasted and finely crushed fennel seeds
• 2 cups green grapes, chilled

Freezing time: overnight

Instructions

Combine the sugar and red grapes into a blender and pulse until fine and evenly combined. Pour into a shallow tray and freeze overnight.

Whisk the cream, icing sugar and fennel seeds until soft peaks form.

Take the granita out of the freezer and use a fork to scrape along the surface. You want to break up the mix finely with a fork until you end up with grape snow. This can be kept like this in the freezer for a good few hours or until you’re ready to serve.

In small shallow bowls, divide the green grapes. Spoon over the granita so it sits flat on top of the grapes in a 2 cm layer. Top with a large spoonful of the fennel cream and serve immediately.

Cook’s tips

• If there were ever a time when I would suggest peeling your grapes, it would be here in this instance with the green grapes. This elevates the dessert’s texture but I can understand if you feel like it’s a silly thing to do. Only attempt it if you have large greens grapes and a lot of patience.

• You will have left-over granita. It will last for a good few weeks in the freezer, just make sure to re-scrape it as you need it.

Photography by Benito Martin. Food styling by O Tama Carey. Prop styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Nick Banbury.

This recipe is part of The seasonal cook: Grape column. View previous The seasonal cook columns and recipes.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.