Pomegranate Granita and Crema Sorbet

Pomegranate Granita and Crema Sorbet

Granita:
3 cups pomegranate juice, preferably unsweetened
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (less sugar if juice is sweetened)
1/2 cup water

Sorbet:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups crema or crème fraîche
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Hidden Kisses (see recipe), for serving

For granita, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 1 minute. Let cool completely and combine with pomegranate juice. Pour mixture in 8- x 12-inch metal pan and place in refrigerator. When completely chilled, cover pan, move to freezer, and freeze 30 minutes. Stir mixture with fork, scraping down sides well to loosen ice crystals that have formed. Freeze another 30 minutes and repeat scraping and stirring. Repeat several times, for a total of 2 to 3 hours, until mixture is evenly icy and crystallized throughout. Serve within 6 to 8 hours.

For sorbet, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until all sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. When syrup is cool, combine with the crema and lemon juice. Adjust flavor with lemon juice if necessary. Chill thoroughly. Pour chilled mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

To serve, combine 1 scoop of Pomegranate Granita and 1 scoop of Crema Sorbet in an ice cream dish. Garnish with a warm Hidden Kiss cookie and serve immediately.