Almond Milk Granita With Orange Syrup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups whole milk
5.25 oz blanched almonds
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 None orange, grated zest
3 pods cardamom, crushed lightly with back of knife
1 tbsp unsalted pistachios, shelled

Preparation

First, make the almond milk. In saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add the blanched almonds and leave to cool. Blend the milk and almonds in a food processor, making sure the almonds are well pulverized, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Process the almond milk in a food processor a second time, then strain through a fine sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth.
Measure 4 1/4 cups of almond milk into a bowl and whisk in 1 1/4 cups sugar. Pour into a freezer-proof tray and place in the freezer. Stir every 20 mins or so with a fork, scraping the edges and breaking up any chunks. It should take about 2 hours to achieve the right consistency. If the granita freezes solid, allow it to thaw until it can be stirred again.
Meanwhile, make the orange syrup. Heat 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange zest and cardamom pods and cook gently over low heat for 8-10 mins. Allow to cool.
Before serving, stir the granita again, allowing to thaw slightly first if necessary. Add the pistachios to the orange syrup. Spoon the granita into glasses or small bowls and serve drizzled with orange syrup.