This refreshing Berry Sangria Granita is perfect for a hot summer day. Berries are sweetened and blended with red wine then frozen into an icy treat.
A Berry Sangria Granita is the boozy summer treat you didn't know you needed! A sweet homemade berry juice is combined with red wine, frozen, and scraped to create a light and refreshing treat.
The ice crystals in the granita become so delicate that they immediately melt in your mouth and give you a sweet burst of berry flavor. It then ends with the flavor of the wine. Be sure to choose a wine that you love to drink since you'll actually be eating it with a spoon!
What is granita?
Granita is a Sicilian-derived frozen treat made of sugar and water, that can be paired with all sorts of flavors. It is typically enjoyed as a breakfast or snack and most varieties only require a pan and a fork to make.
A granita is a cousin to the Italian ice and sorbet, and is enjoyed eaten with a spoon.
How to make granita
Granita is made by combining some sort of juice/flavoring (fruit, vegetable, coffee, etc), sugar, and freezing it in a shallow dish. As the granita freezes, the mixture gets scraped with a fork about once to twice an hour.
After a couple of hours, the granita will be comprised of tiny, flaky crystals of ice.
How to make berry sangria
A standard berry sangria is made by combining sugar, red wine, (occasionally a touch of brandy or liquor), ice and fresh fruit - in this case, berries. For my Berry Sangria Granita recipe, I've omitted the brandy.
Sangria's roots come from Spain, though I've learned that it's mostly tourists who drink this and that Spaniards actually prefer a simpler version called a tinto de verano (red wine and a citrus soda or sparkling lemonade).
I chose to use a red blend for this recipe, and it was perfect! You want to use something full bodied like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or red blend.
What you need to make the Berry Sangria Granita
- Food processor. Key to pulverizing the fresh berries into juice. You can use a blender, NutriBullet or immersion blender.
- Fine mesh sieve. To remove all seeds and make for a smooth granita. You'll be surprised how many seeds remain.
- 8x8" baking dish. The granita will freeze in this dish so be sure it can go in the freezer.
- Fork. The main tool of the dish! This is used to scrape the semi-frozen granita to create the classic ice crystals a granita is known for.
- Mixed berries. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Only use fresh for this recipe!
- Sugar. Just a touch of good ole granulated sugar.
- Wine. A full-bodied red wine, and one that you quite enjoy drinking.
Making the Berry Sangria Granita
Begin by pulverizing the fruit, sugar and water in a food processor until no chunks remain.
Strain the fruit through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove all seeds. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to continuously stir the juice through the sieve.
Then, add the red wine to the berry juice and stir then pour the sangria into an 8x8" or 9x9" pan and freeze for 6-8 hours.
Every 1-2 hours, use the tines of a fork to scrape the sangria. The granita will freeze most on the top and the edges. Be sure to move the entire mixture around every time you scrape.
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Hour 6
Once the liquid freezes and disappears, the granita is done! This could be anywhere between 6-8 hours. Scoop the granita into individual-sized serving vessels and enjoy.
Store the granita covered in the freezer for up to two weeks. Scrape again before scooping it into bowls.
Want more summer treats?
- Blueberry Cheesecake No-Churn Ice Cream
- Cherry Almond Tiramisu
- Mango & Toasted Coconut Marshmallows
- Peach Frangipane Galette
📖Recipe
Berry Sangria Granita
Equipment
- Immersion blender, blender, or food processor
- Fine mesh sieve
- 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch pan
- Fork
Ingredients
- 3 cups mixed berries blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry (400g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 cup water 8oz
- 2 cups red wine 16oz
Instructions
- Combine the fruit, sugar and water in the food processor and blend until completely pulverized and no chunks remain.
- Strain the berry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to pass the juice through the sieve, leaving the seeds behind.
- Pour the red wine into the berry juice and stir.
- Pour the sangria mixture into the pan and place into the freezer (uncovered) for about 8 hours.
- Every one to two hours, use the tines of a fork to scrape the ice throughout the mixture. The sangria will freeze most on the top and sides so be sure to move the ice crystals throughout the entire pan.
- Continue this process until the liquid has disappeared and soft ice crystals have formed.
- Scoop into bowls and serve with a spoon and fresh berries.
Liz
I love how light and refreshing this is, especially as the weather is getting warmer. I made it in the evening so I didn't get to do as many scrapes throughout the freezing process as I should have, but it still seemed to work perfectly and was so so good!
Aubrey
This was so perfect for a summer get together! Easy to throw together yet impressive (and refreshing)