Scooped: Prosecco, Lemon, and Ginger Granita Recipe

I often hear people lament their inability to make frozen desserts for lack of equipment. And I get it—ice cream makers are bulky and expensive enough to be something of an investment, and there's lots of great ice cream and sorbet out there already. But nothing's quite as satisfying as pulling dessert out of the freezer at the end of a long meal—nodding, yes, it is homemade.

For these occasions, we have granita, one of the easiest and most elegant desserts ever made. The ingredients couldn't be simpler, the technique no more elementary. And they wake up the palate like nothing else. No ice cream maker required.

This granita is a dessert and after-dinner drink in one: icy and refreshing before melting into a subtly spiced wine syrup. Depending on your crowd, you can call it granita di prosecco con limone e zenzero or a boozy lemon Sno-Cone. Or just call it the perfect dessert, one that's full of flavor but won't weigh you down.

The alcohol in sparkling wine creates large, flat flakes of ice, like fine sea salt crystals blown up a hundred times. I used Santa Margherita prosecco for a clean, crisp flavor with more than a hint of apple. Lemon and ginger were no-brainer accompaniments that draw the best qualities out of the wine.

If you want more guidance on making granitas, check out Kumiko Mitarai's post from July. It'll have you gobbling grown-up slushies till your mouth turns numb.

Full disclosure: The prosecco used for this recipe came from a free sample.