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Root Beer Float Granita

Root beer granita with a cherry on top of a red tray on a yellow lawn chair.
Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh

In the world of beverages poured over ice cream, I think root beer floats reign supreme (sorry, affogatos). Creamy vanilla ice cream and herbal root beer are a match made in soda shop heaven, a rich and complex combo that keeps you coming back for another sip and spoonful. Here the classic pairing gets the granita treatment, with a can of sweetened condensed milk standing in for the ice cream. By freezing the mixture in a baking dish and scraping it periodically with a fork, you’ll yield a refreshingly icy treat with a melt-in-your-mouth texture—serve it heaped up in cups or small bowls with a spoon and a maraschino cherry for old-school vibes. —Kendra Vaculin

Ingredients

8 servings

48 oz. root beer (6 cups)
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Maraschino cherries (for serving)
  1. Step 1

    Bring48 oz. root beer (6 cups)to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk inone 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk. Transfer to a 13x9" baking dish and let cool, about 30 minutes.

    Step 2

    Transfer baking dish to freezer and freeze 90 minutes. Using a fork, scrape granita, making sure to get around edges of dish (it will feel like a slushy at the edges but still be fairly liquid in the center). Continue to freeze, scraping every hour or so, until mixture resembles fluffy shaved ice, about 3 hours more.

    Step 3

    To serve, scoop into glasses or bowls and top withmaraschino cherries.

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