Southern Sweet Tea Granita

In a small saucepan or microwave, heat 1 cup of the water to a brisk simmer. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, then cover and steep for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 1/3 cup of the sugar vigorously into the remaining 1 cup of cool water. (Preventing the sugar from coming in contact with super hot water keeps your tea from having a bitter taste).

Once 10 minutes has elapsed, remove the tea bags from the saucepan (squeeze them gently to release excess liquid), then pour the mixture over the sugar-water mixture, stirring to combine. Pour the entire thing into a shallow pan (I used an 8×8” square baking dish), and place it in the freezer. Freeze for 1 hour, then scrape the entire mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Return to the freezer for another hour or two, or until it freezes almost solid.

Meanwhile, beat together the heavy cream, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and the lemon zest. If you’re making the peach cream, omit the 1/2 teaspon of sugar and the zest and beat in the peach syrup. Once soft peaks form, store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve the granita, scrape the icy mixture into serving dishes and top it with the whipped cream.

Notes

*The peach syrup I’m referring to is the flavored syrup used for making coffee and tea drinks at cafes. I love the Monin brand. If you can’t find it, use peach nectar or extract.