Nutella Granita*
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Nutella
3 cups water
2 oranges, zested and juiced (see instructions)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
Pour all the ingredients into a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Strain the mixture into a 13x9-inch casserole dish and place it in the freezer for 2 hours, scraping every 30 minutes with a fork. (At first the mixture will be liquid and seem as if you're only stirring it, but as it freezes, it will begin to get icy and you'll eventually be able to scrape it.) Continue until the mixture is completely frozen and crystallized.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse it a few times to smooth. Freeze until ready to serve.
* To zest the oranges, after washing them thoroughly, scrape the rinds of the oranges against a fine cheese grater or citrus zester, being careful not to remove the bitter white pith that surrounds the oranges. (Grated citrus rind contains the aromatic oils that give flavor to the food.) To juice the oranges, cut them in half and using a juicer or a spoon inserted in the center of each piece, squeeze the oranges over a bowl with a strainer to catch any seeds.
Makes 8 1/2-cup servings