Hi. I’m just popping in real quick to say hello and to share this granita recipe with you. The weather is finally warming up here so cool summer treats like this one are on my mind. This granita is made with passionfruit pulp, cacao juice, pineapple juice and plenty of vanilla. What is cacao juice you ask? It’s juice pressed from the fruit of the cacao tree; the same tree that produces chocolate. The cacao fruit encases the cacao beans and is normally discarded as waste. Repurposed Pod is eliminating that waste by taking the fruit and turning it into juice for you to enjoy. It’s slightly sweet, full of tropical flavors, and packed with magnesium, vitamin B, and antioxidants. If cacao juice isn’t available at your local grocery store, I think substituting in plain kombucha would be just as good. Enjoy!

Passionfruit, Cacao Juice and Pineapple Granita

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup passionfruit pulp ( from about 3 passionfruit)

1 1/2 cups cacao juice

1/3 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons cane sugar

vanilla bean paste (from 1/2 vanilla bean)

PROCEDURE
Combine the passionfruit pulp, cacao juice, pineapple juice, sugar and vanilla bean paste in the container of a blender. Blend on medium high until the passionfruit is broken down and the sugar has dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the passionfruit seeds then transfer to a 10×8 inch baking dish. Freeze for 30-40 minutes, until beginning to set around the edges. Remove from the freezer and use a fork to scrape up the frozen parts. Return to the freezer for another 30-40 minutes before scraping again. Repeat until entirely frozen. Granita can be made ahead and kept covered for up to two weeks.