Almond Ice Milk with Strawberry and Rhubarb Salad

This combination of frosty almond milk and tart, fresh rhubarb is raw, gluten free and vegan (for honey eating vegans, of course). I know to some that sounds totally boring, but for as much as I like buttery treats, I also crave a bit of lightness (especially when the weather warms up) and this dessert totally has that going on. I am usually not a fan of the classic strawberry and rhubarb combo, but the pucker of raw rhubarb (still Camille's batch!) is nicely mellowed by the addition of sweet strawberries, a bit of honey, and some fresh mint to make an utterly refreshing, cool, and crisp salad. The almond ice milk is a pretty neutral, granita base that will work well with a number of different fruits and I imagine fresh or roasted stone fruit later in the summer would be delicious here, so feel free to give this recipe your own spin. Oh, and you could certainly make this dessert richer by adding some whipped coconut cream on top (for dairy avoiders) or a bit of whipped cream (for dairy fans).

Almond Ice Milk
yield about 3 cups
I like the bit of texture that adding some almond pulp back in to the ice milk gives the mixture, but if you'd like a smoother icy-treat leave out the pulp. This would also work well with cashews. If you've ever made a granita like this, then you know that it is just about the easiest frozen treat to put together, save the "popsicles" I used to make out of orange juice poured into in ice cube trays and stuck with a stick (tell me you made those when you were a kid too).

5 1/2 ounces raw almonds
24 ounces filtered water (plus more to soak the almonds)
2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
pinch salt

1.  Add almonds to a large container and cover with filtered water. "et the almonds soak for at least 4 hours or overnight then drain the almonds and add the 24 ounces of filtered water and blend thoroughly. Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag (a phrase that makes my inner teenager giggle) or through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. If desired, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the nut meat back into the strained milk for texture.
2. Add the sweetener of your choice, vanilla, almond extract and salt to the almond milk and blend to combine.

3. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Taste the mixture and if you find it to be not sweet enough add in a bit more sweetener and stir to dissolve. Cover the dish with plastic.
3. Slide the dish into the freezer and chill for 1hr. Remove the dish from the freezer and scrape the milk with a fork to break up the crystals, cover and place back in the freezer. Scrape the milk every 30min or so until it is frozen and crystals have formed.

Strawberry and Rhubarb Salad
yield about 2 cups
This salad is sweet-tart and utterly refreshing thanks to a dose of fresh mint.

2 medium stalks rhubarb
1 pound strawberries
2 Tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup(or more to taste)
3 Tablespoons mint leaves, thinly sliced

Dice the rhubarb and strawberries into 1/4-1/2'' pieces small and even pieces are key here. Toss the chopped fruit and honey gently to combine. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes and taste. The fruit should soften slightly and release some of it's juices. Adjust sweetness if necessary then add in the sliced mint right before the salad is served.

To Serve

Layer the ice milk and the rhubarb and strawberry salad in clear glasses. Top with fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately. Try not to spill mint leaves all over the place like I did, what was I thinking ;)

Rhubarb Lime Granita

Granitas are a favorite in my arsenal of summer treats because they are such a cinch to put together; take some fruit, add water and sweetener, spice it up if you feel like it, then throw it in the freezer. Done. This one does require you to turn on the stovetop, but only for a few minutes. I hope you don't mind. You will be rewarded with a frozen treat that is bright and tart and the prettiest share of pink and is absolutely delicious with a splash of prosecco on top or maybe with some tequila and a sprinkle of salt? I've heard rhubarbaritas are mighty fine.  

Rhubarb Lime Granita

12 ounces water
1 pound rhubarb stalks, chopped into 1/2'' pieces
3.75 ounces sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
zest and juice of one lime
pinch salt

1. Add the water, rhubarb, sugar and vanilla bean seeds and pod to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb is very soft and begins to fall apart.
2. Strain the mixture through a medium sieve into an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish, pressing gently to extract as much juice as possible. Remove the vanilla bean and save for another use, save the rhubarb solids too. They are great over yogurt. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the salt. Taste the mixture and if you find it to be too tart, add in a bit more sugar and stir to dissolve. Cover the dish with plastic.
3. Slide the dish into the freezer and chill for 1hr. Remove the dish from the freezer and scrape the granita with a fork to break up the mixture, cover and place back in the freezer. Scrape the granita every 30min or so until it is frozen and crystals have formed. To serve: Spoon the granita into small dishes and top with a squeeze of lime and a splash of tequila, champagne, cava or prosecco if you are feeling festive.

Honeyed Grapefruit Granita

You'll have to excuse the me for publishing this recipe today, you're probably looking for something a little more heart shaped, red velvety or made of chocolate. Well I'm sorry to say that I can't offer you anything like that. What I do have is this bright, tart, and dead easy to put together dessert which is a nice way to top off a hearty meal like the one you may be cooking for your loved one(s) tomorrow. For this batch of granita I used grapefruit that were labeled pink, but as you can see the finished batch was decidedly pale yellow. Try using texas ruby red grapefruit or a splash of hot pink Campari in your granita if you'd like a more pink finished product.

Are you all cooking tomorrow? What are you making, I still need some ideas!

Honeyed Grapefruit Granita
yield about 1 1/2 pints

1/2c sugar
1/2c water
1/4c mild honey
2c fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
juice of one lemon
mint leaves and grapefruit segments to garnish (optional)
sparkling wine to serve (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil to make a simple syrup. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and chill the mixture. Measure 2/3c of the finished chilled syrup, you may have a bit extra that you can save for a cocktail or to sweeten iced coffee.
2. In a medium bowl, add the simple syrup, honey, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice. Whisk well to combine. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 glass baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Slide the dish into the freezer and chill for 1hr. Remove the dish from the freezer and scrape the granita with a fork to break up the mixture, cover and place back in the freezer. Scrape the granita every 30min or so until it is frozen and crystals have formed.
3. To serve: Spoon the granita into small dishes and top with fresh grapefruit segments, mint leaves, and a splash of champagne, cava or prosecco if you are feeling festive.

Notes:

-If you have an ice cream machine, you can churn this mixture into a delicious sorbet.