Watermelon Fork Shaved Ice

I can’t stop buying watermelons. Every time I go to the market, or store, or even drive past a pick up truck full of the melons on the side of the road, I have to stop and buy one. And as much as I love eating these cracked in half with a spoon, I can’t say my family has the level of affection for the oblong melons as I. This has led to an excess of watermelons, and I have zero qualms about this embarrassment of green and pink riches.

So when I’m not drinking watermelon margaritas or watermelon agua fresca, I’m eating watermelon ice. Some folks call this “Granita.” But really, it reminds me of the best, coldest shaved ice that’s perfect for the hottest summer day. And of course, you’ve got to eat it real quick before it melts (I love a challenge).

Making this was easy and fun and a great project for the whole family. I blended chunks of watermelon with some lime juice and sugar, then poured it into a large, wide, shallow casserole dish (mine was about 10 by 13 inches). I stuck it in the freezer, and I waited! Every hour or two, I’d take it out, and use the tines of a fork to scrape, scrape, scrape until there was nothing left to scrape! The sides froze more quickly than the center, but eventually, everything will freeze, and everything can be scraped so that you have a pile of fluffy “fork-shaved ice.”

And yes, making fork-shaved ice is that easy. The key is to start the shaving before the ice is frozen super solid. That way, it’s easier to scrape. But, you can store this in the freezer until you’re ready to serve. Just re-fluff! (I kept this in my freezer for a good 5 days before surprising the fam on one very hot afternoon!

Watermelon Fork Shaved Ice Recipe

2 pounds seedless watermelon chunks (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

1. Blend the watermelon, sugar and lime juice until combined.

2. Pour into a shallow dish and freeze.

3. Every hour or two, remove the dish from the freezer and use a fork to scrape it. Repeat until all of the watermelon is frozen and shaved. Store in the freezer, covered, until ready to serve (up to five days).

4. When ready to serve, re-fluff! If there are any chunks, break them up with the back of the fork.