I had been craving plum power (梅粉) since I moved to New York. Plum powder is a common seasoning for fruit like cherry tomatoes and guava in Taiwan. I wanted to turn this iconic flavor into a dish, so this recipe idea was actually created simultaneously with Candied Tomato in Sake. Sake perfectly preserves the tangy tomatoes and the flavor of sweet and sour plum powder. I guarantee you it would be one of the best granitas you ever had.
You might also like Strawberry Panna Cotta or Peach Jam Cake.
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What is Plum Powder?
Plum powder is made of dried plum skin which has been pickled in a combination of licorice, red food coloring, salt, sugar. It is a popular traditional Asian snack. The sweet, salty, tangy taste makes it a great flavoring for fruits. The most common ones are cherry tomato and sliced guava. When buying plum powder, I prefer the ones that isn’t overly red. I got it from Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry in Brooklyn. If plum powder is not available at where you locate, this one from Amazon is a good choice.
What is Sake?
As I mentioned in the other recipe, Candied Tomato in Sake. Sake is a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice, water, koji (a special mold), and yeast. It goes through a unique process of polishing rice, fermenting it, and comes in various types with different flavors.
Ingredients in Plum Powder Sake Granita
- Water - Water dilutes the sake, balancing the flavors in the granita which has basically a fixed ratio of how much liquid and sugar should be.
- Sake - The sake I use here is same as Candied Tomato recipe, Honjozo, which is slightly dryer and lighter than Junmai. You can substitute with any sake you have at home.
- Simple Syrup - Simple syrup not only sweetens your granita, but also contributes to the texture of the granita by lowering its freezing point, preventing the mixture from freezing into a solid block of ice.
- Plum Powder - Plum powder is the main character of the recipe even though we use only a small teaspoon of it. The unique sweet and salty taste gives the granita a interesting flavor.
- Lemon Juice - The natural acidity in lemon juice helps balance the sweetness of the simple syrup and plum powder, preventing the granita from becoming overly sweet.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make simple syrup?
Simply dissolve sugar in the same amount (same weight) of water. Make sure the mixture isn’t boiling.
Simple syrup is not only useful in making drinks, we also use it for baking quite often. Brush it over the freshly baked pie or pastry to get the shiny finish, mix with compote to adjust the texture, or candy any kind of fruit.
How too make Plum Powder Sake Granita?
Prepare one or two containers. The shallower the container, the quicker the granita will freeze.
Find some flat space in your freezer to place the containers.
Mix water, sake, simple syrup, plum powder and lemon juice together.
Pour the mixture into containers.
Place the containers in the freezer.
Every 30 minutes, use a fork to scrape the ice crystals that are forming.
Repeat this process until the entire mixture is frozen and has a granular texture. About 2 hours.
Once the granita is fully frozen, use a fork to scrape it into fluffy ice crystals.
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the freezer, and fluff again before serving. However, the texture may change slightly upon refreezing, so it's best to consume it within a day or two.
Recipe Tips
Metal containers are more ideal! I tried freezing it in a glass container and a metal sheet tray. The one in the metal tray crystalize a lot faster than the other one.
Fluff all the way to the bottom! Plum powder might sink to the bottom while it’s freezing, so try to fluff it up.
Avoid Overfreezing! Be careful not to overfreeze the granita. Once it's fully frozen, it can become too solid and lose its granular texture. If this happens, simply let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before serving.
Serve Chilled! Granita is best served chilled, so make sure your serving glasses or bowls are also chilled in the freezer before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can use artificial sweeteners or honey as simple syrup substitutes in granita. Adjust the quantity to similar level of sweetness. For example, if you want to use honey, dissolve it in the same amount of warm water.
Yes, as long as the ratio of liquid and simple syrup stays 2 cups : 1-1.25 cup. In this recipe, I use 2.5 cups of liquid to 1 cup of simple syrup. You can replace the sake with different alcohol, tea or juice.
Yes, but the density is not completely the same. Scaling by weight is always more accurate and it will make sure it is consistent every time.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Plum Powder Sake Granita
Ingredients
1 cup Simple Syrup
- 120 g granulated sugar about ½ cup
- 120 g water about ½ cup
Flavored Liquid
- 2 cup water
- ½ cup sake
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon plum powder
Instructions
- Dissolve: Make simple syrup. Simply dissolve sugar in the same amount (same weight) of water.
- Prep: Prepare one or two containers. The shallower the container, the quicker the granita will freeze.
- Mix: Mix water, sake, simple syrup, plum powder and lemon juice together.
- Pour: Pour the mixture into containers.
- Freeze: Place the containers in the freezer.
- Scrape: Use a fork to scrape the ice crystals every 30 minutes.
- Repeat: Repeat this process until the entire mixture is frozen and has a granular texture. About 2 hours.
- Serve: Once the granita is fully frozen, use a fork to scrape it into fluffy ice crystals.
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