Celebrate Bastille Day with Payard's Pink Champagne Raspberry Granite

Recipe and photo courtesy of Chef Francois Payard

I normally don't use others' recipes or photos but the pr person from Payard sent me these and I was smitten so I decided to share them anyway.

My fondest memory of Bastille Day is one more than 20 years ago spent at the cafe at Domain Chandon in Yountville sipping champagne and listening to cabaret singers.

This relatively easy dessert brings back those memories.   Granité is a sorbet-like dessert made without an ice cream maker.  It it has a more granular texture. The Italians have a similar dessert known as granita.

Happy July 14th!

Pink Champagne and Raspberry Granité

Makes 6 to 8 Servings

2 ½ pints raspberries

½ pint blueberries

1 ⅓ cups sugar

One 750-ml bottle rosé champagne

Juice of 1 lemon

1)    Combine 2 pints of raspberries, the sugar, and ¼ cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

2)    Strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in the champagne and lemon juice. Scrape the mixture into a shallow metal baking pan, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours. (You can make the granité ahead and keep it covered in the freezer for up to 3 days.)

3)    Using the tip of a spoon or the tines of a fork, scrape the granité into chilled dessert glasses, garnish with the remaining ½ pint raspberries and the blueberries, and serve immediately.