Watermelon And Mint Granita - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
3 1/2 lbs coarsely chopped watermelon
3 None large sprigs fresh mint, plus additional sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Combine 2 cups water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir on low heat, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to low; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, for about 5 mins or until the syrup thickens slightly but does not color.
Blend or process the watermelon and mint, in batches, until almost smooth. Push the batches through a sieve into a large bowl. Add the sugar syrup and stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into two 12 x 8-inch baking pans. Cover with foil. Freeze for about 3 hours or until almost set.
Using a fork, scrape the granita from the bottom and sides of the pans, mixing the frozen with the unfrozen mixture. Cover and return to the freezer. Repeat the process every hour for about 4 hours or until large ice crystals form and the granita has a dry, shard-like appearance.
To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita and spoon into glasses. Garnish with additional mint sprigs. Serve immediately.