Pineapple Strawberry and Mint Granita & Popsicle

Granita is flavored ice crystals or ice chips. At least, that's how I have always understood it. It has been quite popular the last few years as a palate cleanser and a light, refreshing dessert following a heavy meal. Since I am not a fan of ice-based desserts, I never really caught on to it. This summer, as I was filling up some popsicle molds, I thought why not just freeze some in a tray and scrape it up to make granita? If the family liked it, then why not? Popsicles are anyway such permanent fixtures in our freezer that I thought my husband wouldn't complain of a little variety.

When I was scraping the granita, both my mom and husband were excited because it reminded them of the shaved ice that they used to get in front of their school, which of course, they were not allowed to eat! So, they both preferred the granita version more than the popsicle. The scraping is a bit more work, but if the frozen mixture sits out for 5 minutes, it is easier to scrape (an obvious statement)

Ingredients (serves 5-6 popsicles or 4 popsicles and about 1 cup worth granita):

1. 11 strawberries, hulled and sliced
2. 1.5 cups chopped pineapple
3. 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves or fresh mint leaves
4. 1/4 - 1/3 cup honey (depending on how tart the fruits are)

Preparation:

Blend everything together and pour into popsicle molds or a freezer-safe container.

Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Gently remove the popsicle from the molds and serve. For the granita, scrape using a fork to form small crystals and ice-chips. Serve immediately with a drizzle more of honey.