Ina Garten's 4-Ingredient Dessert Tastes Like a Luxury Vacation

The moment the temperature hits the mid-80s, it's rosé weather. Being under the hot sun calls for a chilled glass (or two) and a refreshing summer salad.

Once the thermometer reaches 90°F though, we're in frozé territory. The past few weeks in the Chicago area (and much of the country) have been a scorcher. To find something icy and refreshing, I turned to Ina Garten.

Her Sparkling Grapefruit Granita is a frozé-meets-dessert that's perfect for summer. It's easy to make (only four ingredients!) and the finished granita is fresh, tart, and most importantly, ice-cold.

How To Make Ina Garten’s Sparkling Grapefruit Granita

This is essentially a grapefruit granita meets frozen rosé cocktail, served with classic Ina Garten flair. Her recipe starts by making a simple syrup with a cup of water and a cup of sugar. She suggests dissolving this on the stovetop before adding it to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

However, I found that it's possible to cut out the middleman. Instead of making simple syrup, I whisk together the sugar, water, and two cups of grapefruit juice right in the baking dish. Once the sugar dissolves, it's time to add two cups of dry rosé Champagne. I make sure to give it a good stir before popping the baking dish in the freezer.

The key to making a granita at home in your freezer is setting a timer and agitating the mixture in regular intervals to break up the delicious ice crystals before they solidify too much. Ina suggests using a fork to rake the granita every 30 minutes, allowing up to three hours to achieve the right consistency.

I found this to be right on the money. After three hours, it was perfect.

Since I took a shortcut and didn’t make a simple syrup, I gave the granita an extra stir in the first few intervals to make sure no sugar granules settled on the bottom of the dish.

Why I Love This Recipe

The result tastes like a luxury vacation in a glass. Just before serving, Ina suggests topping each spiked dessert with a light sprinkle of fleur de sel. I use Maldon sea salt, but if you have some margarita rim salt, that would work as well.

This pinch of salt plays brilliantly with the sweet-tart grapefruit mixture and the crisp, dry Champagne. Of course, if you don’t have salt, the granita can be enjoyed without this final flourish.

Tips for Making Ina’s Granita

I experimented with this recipe and found that it also works with a regular bottle of rosé. It isn’t about the bubbles as much as it is the character of the crisp, refreshing notes that come with a bottle of sparkling wine. Either way, on a hot summer day, I'm happy to know this treat is only four ingredients away!