Sorrel granita is a frozen dessert idea for a Christmas table: a light, crunchy mixture of hibiscus-infused ice crystals served in small glasses. It uses a fork and a freezer rather than an ice-cream machine.
Start with a small tray
Use 500 ml brewed hibiscus tea, 75 g sugar and, if wanted, a short strip of orange zest. Prepare the tea according to its packet. Remove the bags and zest, strain and dissolve the sugar in the warm liquid.
Taste a cooled spoonful. The mixture should have enough sweetness to balance the tartness, as freezing will change the way you experience it. This dessert is an adaptation using the sorrel flavour, not a claim to be a traditional recipe shared by every Caribbean household.
Freeze and scrape
Cool promptly and pour into a shallow freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze. Once ice begins forming around the edges, scrape it towards the middle with a fork. Repeat approximately every 30–60 minutes until you have loose crystals rather than one solid slab. Timing depends on the freezer and depth of the liquid.
If the mixture freezes solid before you can scrape it, let it soften just enough to break up safely. Do not force a fork into a rock-hard block.
Serve a small portion
Spoon into chilled glasses just before serving. A little finely grated orange zest is enough decoration. You can also offer it between courses in a smaller serving.
Keep the granita frozen until needed. A shallow container makes the scraping easier, while small glasses help you serve quickly before the crystals melt into a drink again.
Related reading: Hibiscus Tea: Is It the Same as Caribbean Sorrel?.
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