Francisco Migoya

The Granité Method

Appears in
The Elements of Dessert
The Elements of Dessert

By Francisco Migoya

Published 2012

  • About
This is a method that is used for the flavored shaved ices known as granité or granita, depending on where you are from. It can also be used to make flavored solid ices.
The Granité Method is as Follows:
  1. Place the main ingredient in a stainless-steel bowl. This is usually a fruit or vegetable juice, an infused or flavored liquid, or a wine. The infused or flavored liquid can be a dairy product, generally milk, and is not exclusive of water or juice.
  2. Make sure that the temperature of the main ingredient is 20°C/68°F. If not, temper it. This will give you an accurate reading on a refractometer. Colder or warmer liquids will not provide an accurate reading.
  3. Add some 65° Brix simple syrup that is at a temperature of 20°C/68°F. Speaking in very general terms, a good starting point is 1 part simple syrup to 4 parts of the main ingredient. The ° Brix refers to the sugar density of the simple syrup. A 65° Brix syrup is a syrup that is 65 percent sugar and 35 percent water. You can also use a 50° Brix simple syrup, but you will need more of it in your base, and it may dilute the flavor.
  4. Whisk the mixture thoroughly. Take a reading with the refractometer. It should read between 16° Brix and 19° Brix. My personal preference is 17° Brix, which is not too sweet but sweet enough. Always taste to make sure the flavor is to your liking. It is good to trust a refractometer, but you should be able to trust your taste buds as well. A pinch of salt is recommended, to round out the flavors of your base.
  5. Pour the granité base into a stainless-steel hotel pan. The size will depend on the desired amount.
  6. Place the pan in a –18 C°/0°F freezer.
  7. After 45 to 60 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and scrape the ice crystals that will have formed around the rim of the pan.
  8. Repeat this process every 30 minutes, always scraping in a circular motion to ensure even crystal formation.
  9. Once all the liquid has frozen, transfer the granité to a size-appropriate hotel pan and cover. Reserve for service in a –18°C/0°F freezer. This freezer needs to be colder than one that holds sorbets or ice creams, so that the ice crystals do not melt. This type of frozen dessert is more susceptible to heat shock since there is very little to protect the ice from melting.