Milk Chocolate Granita

Kitty Z's Note:

A different twist on the chocolate granita, this one uses milk, giving it a bit of an ice-cream-like taste. Sixty grams of sugar gives a nice dark chocolate flavor, if you're looking for more of a true "milk chocolate," you may want to add a bit more. Adapted from the "Ask Mario" site, where it was the topping of a much more complicated dessert. I've added volume equivalents to the weight measures so you can make this without a scale.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 400 ml water
• 400 ml nonfat milk
• 60 g superfine sugar (slightly less than 1/3 cup)
• 100 g dark chocolate, melted (about 3 1/2 one-ounce squares)
• 20 g cocoa powder (slightly less than 1/4 cup)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, mix water and milk.
2. Place over low heat, then add sugar to dissolve.
3. When sugar is dissolved, add chocolate and cocoa.
4. Pour into a baking dish or other wide, shallow container (the shallower the granita is in the dish, the faster it will freeze).
5. Allow to cool slightly (at least until it is no longer steaming).
6. Cover and freeze for one to two hours, until it is frozen at the edges. Scrape the ice with a fork, mixing it towards the center of the dish.
7. Repeat every 20 to 30 minutes, until the granita is completely frozen (the texture should be somewhere between flaky and slushy).
8. Keep frozen until ready to serve. If the granita becomes too solid before serving, allow to sit at room temperature until slightly softened, then use a fork to loosen.
9. QUICK GRANITA METHOD: Freeze mixture into an ice cube tray; once solid, use a food processor or ice shaver to flake.