Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita

Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita
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The sun has been eluding us lately. Aside from this past Saturday, it’s been nothing but cloudy skies and the occasional downpour. I’m not necessarily complaining. It’s far more favorable than the untenable heat and dry conditions affecting the country’s west coast. But still, long stretches of grey can make even the most optimistic of souls a little blue. And it’s July, the month I wait for all year. So to have crap weather at this point feels almost personal. But I refuse to feel hard done by. It’s a waste of energy especially when you can make your own sunshine in the form of this Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie.

Ingredients for the Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie

When I initially penciled this pie into my content calendar, I put it in July because I figured we’d be seeing +30°C temps pretty much every day at this point. I never would’ve imagined we’d be struggling to make it past 20. But here we are. Exactly where summer clearly isn’t. But that won’t stop me from indulging in all the summer-friendly foods and fresh, seasonal produce I possibly can before October comes and takes it away again.

Patting the sugar cone crust into the pie plate

Raspberry season is in full swing here in Ontario and I am taking full advantage. I even have my own raspberry cane growing in my front yard. I planted it three years ago and this year it’s really come through. I’ve been getting tons and tons of berries from it since the second week of June. I guess it’s true what they say, sometimes a plant just needs to establish itself before you see the fruits of your labor – pun very much intended.

Raspberries in the food processor ready to be blended
Pouring the Raspberry Margarita Sorbet base into the ice cream maker

Raspberries are my favorite of all the berries. I like everything about them. Their sweet tartness, their texture, their color. So it only made sense to pack this pie with four brimming cups of them. And to put the “margarita” into this Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie, I complimented the berries with a shot of tequila, lime juice, and a healthy pinch of salt. The salt in particular is crucial. It actually enhances the flavor of the berries.

Filling the sugar cone crust with the freshly churned Raspberry Margarita Sorbet

Once I blitzed the aforementioned cast of characters together in a food processor, I simply strained the mixture and popped it into an ice cream maker. Now, I have made sorbets without the aid of a machine before and they have worked exceptionally well. I think the machine might be crucial when it comes to icebox pies, though. Pouring a liquid sorbet base into what is supposed to be a crisp crust could prove to be a disaster. Plus, you can’t add all the swoops and swirls to the surface of your sorbet if it isn’t freshly churned.

Coconut Granita

But I’ve gotten ahead of myself. We need to talk about the crust we’re not ruining with a runny sorbet base. The crust you see before you is a simple no-bake, pat-in-pan sugar cone crust. It really couldn’t be simpler to put together. And as I mentioned, it’s no-bake. So if your corner of the world is considerably warmer than mine right now, this is most definitely the pie crust for you.

Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita

Now, let’s talk Coconut Granita. This component of the pie does require a bit more babysitting. But it by no means requires much in the way of concentration or skill. Basically, you pour the granita mixture into a loaf pan and scrap it with a fork every 30 minutes for a total of 2 hours. Yes, that is how you make granita. It really is that simple. But a word to the wise, if you miss your 30-minute window by a long shot, your granita will be far too solid to bust-up. In which case, all is not lost just merely delayed. You just have to let granita melt and start the process over again.

A slice of Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie

So that’s everything you need to know about this Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita. This pie packs a punch and calls for minimal ingredients, minimal concentration, and zero cook time. I don’t like to throw the word “hero” around all the time but this pie is most definitely a summertime hero.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita

Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie with Coconut Granita

This Raspberry Margarita Icebox Pie features a lush raspberry sorbet spiked with lime and tequila nestled into a sugar cone crust and topped with a creamy coconut granita.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Churning/Chilling/Freezing Time 10 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Ice Cream Maker
  • 9" Pie Plate

Ingredients
  

Sugar Cone Crust

  • 250g (9oz) sugar cones
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted

Raspberry Margarita Sorbet

  • 2 pints fresh raspberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 lime juiced
  • oz tequila
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt

Coconut Granita

  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 lime juiced
  • ¼ cup honey

Instructions
 

For the Crust

  • Place the cones in a large food processor and blitz until they are crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and pour the butter over top. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  • Pour the mixture into a 9" pie plate and pat the crust evenly into the bottom. The crust will feel loose but don't worry, it will set up in the freezer. Once the crust is evenly dispersed, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Freeze for at least 3 hours.

For the Sorbet

  • Place the raspberries, sugar, lime, tequila, and salt in a large food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Using a rubber spatula, force the juice through until only seeds remain. Discard the solids.
  • Transfer the juice to a resealable container and place it in the fridge. Chill the sorbet base for at least 2 hours. Once the base is thoroughly chilled, pour it into the bowl of an ice cream maker. Churn the sorbet for 30 minutes or until it resembles soft serve.
  • Spoon the sorbet into the pie crust and, using the back of a spoon, spread it into an even layer. Decorate with some swoops of the spoon before covering and placing the pie in the freezer. Let freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

For the Granita

  • When you're two hours away from serving, make the granita. Pour the coconut milk, lime juice, and honey into a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and place it in the freezer. Freeze for 30 minutes. **
  • When 30 minutes have passed, scrape the granita with a fork and return it to the freezer. Repeat this step 3 more times for a total of 2 hours worth of freezing time.
  • After the final scraping, spoon the finished granita over the pie and garnish it with additional, preferably frozen raspberries. Slice and serve immediately.

Notes

** If you miss your 30-minute window and granita sets up too much. Leave it to melt down and start the process again. 
Keyword coconut, lime, pie, raspberry, sugar cone, tequila

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