Cranberry Granita

Directions

1. 1
   Add all the ingredients to a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves.
2. 2
   Decrease heat and simmer until the berries have softened, about 10 minutes.
3. 3
   Cover and cool off the heat for 30 minutes.
4. 4
   Pour the contents of the pan into a large blender; puree until smooth.
5. 5
   Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 13x9 inch baking pan, pushing the solids against the mesh with the back of a wooden spoon.
6. 6
   Freeze the mixture in the pan on the floor of the freezer for about 3 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes with a fork to break up the ice crystals and distribute them evenly throughout the pan.
7. 7
   After the mixture has frozen but is not yet fully firm, cover it tightly with plastic wrap; the granita will keep this way for up to 3 weeks.
8. 8
   Scrape the surface of the granita with a fork to produces lots of shaved ice crystals, scoop these into individual cups or glasses for serving.
9. 9
   *Spiced Cranberry Granita: add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 t. ground mace, and 1/4 t. grated nutmeg to the pan before you set the mixture aside to cool for 20 minutes; proceed as directed.