Frozen Peach Tea Slush Recipe for Lazy Summer Afternoons

By: Andy Hayes

Warmer days have a pace all their own. The mornings run slow. The afternoons run slower. Somewhere around two o'clock, when it is too warm to do much of anything, a spoonful of something cold and sweet is about the most ambitious thing worth attempting.

That is where this granita comes in.

If you have not made one before, a granita is a semi-frozen Italian treat. Think of a snow cone with better manners. Traditionally it is water, a little sweetener, and some flavor, scraped into soft icy flakes with a fork. It is the easiest frozen dessert there is, because your freezer does the work while you do none of it.

Ours starts with a cold brew of Peaches n' Cream Oolong. The oolong gives it a smooth, round base. The peach and vanilla notes come through soft and sweet, which is exactly what you want against ice. We sweeten the brew with Honey Dust, freeze it into fine flakes, then pour cold half and half over the top so each spoonful turns soft and creamy as it melts.

A quick word on the tea. Cold brewing is the gentlest way to steep, so you never have to worry about a bitter cup here. This one carries a little caffeine from the oolong, which makes it a nice afternoon pick-me-up. If you want a bolder result, add a little more leaf rather than rushing the brew.

Here is how to make it.

Peaches n' Cream Granita

Ingredients

2 cups cold water
4 tablespoons Peaches n' Cream Oolong
2 teaspoons Honey Dust, to taste
1/4 cup half and half
fresh peach slices, to serve (optional)

Preparation

Add the loose leaf tea to a jar or pitcher and pour in the cold water. Cover it and let it cold brew in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
Strain out the leaves. Stir in the Honey Dust until it dissolves. If you are in a hurry, dissolve it in a small splash of warm water first, then stir it back into the tea.
Pour the sweetened tea into a shallow pan or baking dish. The thinner the layer, the faster it freezes.
Set the pan in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, drag a fork through it to break the ice into flakes. After about 3 hours you will have a light, flaky granita.
Spoon it into a chilled glass and pour a little cold half and half over the top. Add a few fresh peach slices if you have them, and enjoy the coolest, laziest part of your day.

Six peach blends, one free, all made for cold brewing straight through summer.

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