Summer stone fruit with pineapple granita

Prep: 10 mins

Just about any fruit you can think of can make granita - the best are juicy fruits that have good flavour, so look at fruits that will go through a juice extractor and those that are very ripe. You can add a dollop of cream if you like but I don't think it's necessary.

4 small - medium ripe peaches (slip-stone are best)

4 small - medium ripe nectarines

700g of ripe, plump cherries, pitted

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp of caster (superfine) sugar

Grantia:

1L of freshly squeezed pineapple juice

230g of caster (superfine) sugar

2 tbsp of finely chopped mint leaves

For the grania, strain the pineapple juice through a fine sive and place in a bowl with the sugar, mint and 250ml water.

Stir for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves, then pour into a container that allows the mixture to be 5cm deep.

Place in the freezer.

Using a fork, stir it every 30 minutes, scraping the edges and breaking up any chunks until the granita is slushy and frozen. This will take 4-5 hours.

Cut the peaches and nectarines from their stones and cut each half into pieces roughly the size of the cherries.

Place the stone fruit in a bowl with the cherries, lemon juice and sugar. Toss well.

Divide the granita among 12 chilled glasses, top with the fruit, and serve.

Serves
12

Preparation Time
10 minutes

Main ingredients
Fruit, Sugar

Recipe Type
Dessert, Entertaining

Level of Difficulty
Easy

Just about any fruit you can think of can make granita - the best are juicy fruits that have good flavour, so look at fruits that will go through a juice extractor and thoe that are very ripe.

Easy Weekends by Neil Perry (Murdoch Books). Photography: Earl Carter