Watermelon Champagne Granita

Thanks to our house's CSA, and over-enthusiasm for summer fruit, I found myself with an excess of watermelon. Lacking the patience to actually use an ice cream maker, and possessing latent alcoholic tendencies, I decided to make a watermelon champagne granita! Besides the fact that it is delicious, you can make it in three hours or less! 

You will need:

Equipment:
- a large, sharp knife
- a blender or food processor
- a large plastic container (freezer-proof, which a matching lid)
- measuring cups (1/2 cup and 1 cup)
- a weigh scale
- a fork
- a freezer

Ingredients:
- a watermelon, seedless if possible
- white sugar
- your favourite champagne

Chop up watermelon into reasonably sliced chunks, removing the ride and the seeds (if there are any, as there was with mine) as you go, until you have 2 pounds (around 4 cups).

Place chopped up watermelon in a blender or food processor, and add half a cup of granulated sugar. Blend together, for about a minute. Stop blending and stir the liquid watermelon-sugar mixture, trying to unearth the random little chunks of watermelon that always hide at the bottom when you are blending watermelon. Blend again, until smooth. Transfer to a freezer-proof plastic container.

Slowly (to maximize liquid and minimize bubbles) measure a cup of champagne and add it to the watermelon-sugar. Mix together, for the champagne likes to separate out from the sugar and the watermelon.

Pop lid onto container and place in the freezer, preferably under ice cream that you already own, for added deliciousness.

Remove from freezer every 30 minutes and stir and scrape with a fork, for about two hours. As it freezes, it will begin to get more and more slushy-like, until it has a slightly thicker, icier, more crystalline consistency than italian ice. Feel free to freezer longer, if you want a more solid texture.

Alternatively, if you have an ice cream maker, feel free to follow the manufacturer's instructions - this will result in something smoother and much closer to a sorbet.

Regardless of method, drink the remaining champagne while you wait. Feel free to share with housemates so you don't accidentally get drunk on a work night.

When the granita has reached the proper icy texture, serve in multi-coloured bowls for added prettiness and enjoy! Be sure not to devour it all in one go. : )