Quince and persimmon granita

This kind of frozen dessert is most often made in hot weather with summer fruits. Yet quince and persimmon are exquisite flavors with nothing more than sugar and lemon, and a light, frozen dessert can be a great end to a rich, wintry meal. Especially if all your friends are over and the heat is on and the oven has been blasting.

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  • 4-5 quinces
  • 2-3 very ripe persimmons 
  • 2-3 lemons
  • 1-2-or-3 cups sugar (Or, really, anywhere between. You are doing this by taste, and for a smooth texture.)

Juice the lemons. Peel and core the quince, rubbing the juiced lemons all over them before dropping them into a bowl filled with water and more lemon juice. When all the quince are processed, take them out one at a time and chop, returning the pieces to the bath. When ready, drain all of the water. Add the quince, with a healthy scattering of sugar and the lemon juice, to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add a splash of water (or white wine). Cook over medium-high heat until the quinces have entirely broken down and turned into a sort of quince nectar. 

Peel the ripe persimmons. Cook over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, with lemon juice and more sugar, letting it bubble and simmer for a while until the juice thickens and it becomes pasty (and tastes delicious). Set aside. 

Chill both the quince and the persimmons completely, then combine, adjust to taste with lemon and more sugar, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, OR pour into a tupperware and freeze, taking out every hour of the first evening to break up the ice crystals with a fork.