This recipe is a repost from the archives. I’m on vacation in Europe for the month of June; when this publishes I’ll be in Normandy visiting family and spending time with my dad, step-mum and little siblings. Starting next week, I’ll run themed weeks here with recipes inspired by the places I’m visiting and photos from the trip so you can feel like you’re traveling along.
I’ll be popping in on social media occasionally—follow me on Facebook and Instagram (@notenoughcinnamon) for vacation photos and updates.
Homemade granita is one of my favorite summer treats: refreshing, lightly sweet and simple to make. Granita is essentially a coarse, flavored ice made from a sugar syrup base and blended with fruit purée, coffee or even wine. The name comes from the Italian granire, meaning “to make grainy.” You may also know it as water ice or Italian ice.
Granita takes a little time (about three hours), but your freezer does most of the work. Make a simple syrup, purée the fruit, mix everything together, place it in the freezer and check every 30 minutes to scrape the forming crystals. Between checks, relax and enjoy the anticipation.
It’s also a great way to use ripe fruit that might otherwise go to waste.
Quick tip: the recipe calls for a splash of lemon juice in the strawberries. Why? Lemon helps preserve the fruit’s bright color and prevents browning from oxidation. That vivid red in the photos is natural, not dye or Photoshop. Lemon also helps when working with other fruits—apples, avocados and even blueberries—keeping them looking fresh and appetizing.
Now, let’s make this strawberry granita. Enjoy!
Fresh Strawberry Granita
Dessert
Italian
Ingredients
-
1
cup
water -
½
cup
brown sugar
packed -
1
lb
fresh strawberries
hulled and sliced -
2
tbsp
agave -
2
tbsp
lemon juice
Instructions
-
Make the syrup: combine the water and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool.
-
Make the fruit purée: combine the strawberries, agave and lemon juice in a blender and purée until smooth. Add the cooled syrup to the strawberry purée and blend until evenly combined.
-
Pour the mixture into a 13×9-inch metal baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer.
-
After about 30 minutes the edges will start to freeze. Use a fork to scrape the ice crystals from the edges and stir, breaking up any icy chunks. Return to the freezer and repeat the scraping and stirring every 30 minutes for about 2½ hours total. The granita is ready when it has a granular, slushy texture.
-
Spoon the granita into bowls or ice goblets and serve immediately.
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Click on the link or picture to see the recipe
Mango-Strawberry Yogurt Parfaits
Mini Strawberry Pies
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