Ahh, sweet tea. It might just be the only thing you know about the South. Well, maybe you’ve heard we make great fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and maybe you’re even smart enough to know what CFS stands for. But sweet tea is the real thing we’re famous for. It’s the house wine of the South. We go through gallons of it year ’round.
I grew up with lemon slices in sweet tea, but since Mr. Dessert For Two grew up in Georgia, peach sweet tea is more familiar to him. Since we try to make this Texas/Georgia hybrid relationship work in California, I’m giving you the option for a lemon cream topping or a peach cream topping. Such a delicious compromise.
Southern Sweet Tea Granita
These sweet tea granitas are the perfect Southern treat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup sugar + ½ teaspoon
- 2 black tea bags
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Pinch of lemon zest -or- 1 teaspoon peach syrup*
Instructions
- In a small saucepan or microwave, heat 1 cup of the water to a brisk simmer. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, then cover and steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk ⅓ cup of the sugar vigorously into the remaining 1 cup of cool water. (Preventing the sugar from coming in contact with super hot water keeps your tea from having a bitter taste). Once 10 minutes has elapsed, remove the tea bags (squeeze them gently), then pour the mixture over the sugar-water mixture, stirring to combine. Pour the entire thing into a shallow pan (I used an 8x8” square baking dish), and place it in the freezer. Freeze for 1 hour, then scrape the entire mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Return to the freezer for another hour or two, or until it freezes almost solid.
- Meanwhile, beat together the heavy cream, the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar and lemon zest. If you're making the peach cream, omit the ½ teaspon of sugar and beat in the peach syrup. Once soft peaks form, store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To serve the granita, scrape it again with a fork into serving dishes and top it with the whipped cream.
Notes
*The peach syrup I'm referring to is the flavored syrup used for making coffee and tea drinks at cafes. I love the Monin brand. If you can't find it, use peach nectar or extract.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 43mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 0gSugar: 51gProtein: 1g
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says
I LOVE this!!! :) You have no idea how excited I am about this recipe!
Christine (The Raw Project) says
This looks wonderful! I need to try it with vegan cream! :-)
Ann says
Nice! I am a southerner, but cannot drink tea. However, my husband would LOVE this! Thanks!
Vicki Bensinger says
Ooh this looks so refreshing especially when the temps have been soaring lately. I love granitas. I recently made a Pina Colada and Coffee Granita. They're so simple and refreshing. Kind of like an adult snow cone. I'm looking forward to trying this. Thanks for your post.
belovedgreen says
Sweet tea is like a little bit of heaven in the summer.
naomi says
OMG-I HAVE to try this! What a great idea!!!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
wow! I love love this one!
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) says
This looks very refreshing - and I LOVE ice tea (or sweet tea as you call it in the US).
Chris says
How fun! I admit, I can't drink sweet tea. Growing up, I drank unsweet tea. But, as a frozen treat? I might have to step out of my comfort zone. Thanks!
Madison @ Espresso and Cream says
I absolutely LOVE sweet tea and this adaptation would be perfect for the end-of-summer get togethers!