Pink Lemonade Granita

• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
• 2 tsp. grenadine

Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and grenadine in a medium bowl. Stir with a large spoon or whisk until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved, about 1 min.

Pour the mixture into a 9-inch-square shallow baking pan. This pan size works best ­because it provides a large surface area, a key point in speeding up the freezing process. To further hasten freezing, use a metal pan (metal conducts cold well).

Put the pan in the freezer and stir every 30 min., being sure to scrape the ice crystals off the sides and into the ­middle of the pan, until the mixture is too frozen to stir, about 3 hours, depending on how cold your freezer is (some granitas can freeze in as ­little as 1 hour). Use a large dinner fork to stir and scrape; the tines are perfect for breaking up ice crystals.

Cover the pan with plastic and freeze over­night. When ready to serve the granita, place a fork at the top of the dish and pull it toward you in rows, moving from left to right ­and ­rotating the pan as well. Scape up the shaved ice and fill your chilled glasses or bowls.