Lemon Basil Granita

July 27, 2016 10 Comments

Oh my goodness, what a heat wave we’ve been having! No complaints here since I’ll take the heat over snow any day. To help beat the heat, I decided to make an amazing lemon basil granita that was so simple to make. Granita is basically a fancy sounding Italian ice that isn’t so fancy to make at all. It could not have been easier!

I made sure to pour lots of lemon juice through a fine mesh strainer to catch any stray seeds or bits as it went into my small pot. Then I added sugar, finely chopped basil and a little rum for big flavor. It just needed to warm up just enough over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. That was all there was to making the mixture for the lemon basil granita!
I made sure to pour lots of lemon juice through a fine mesh strainer to catch any stray seeds or bits as it went into my small pot. Then I added sugar, finely chopped basil and a little rum for big flavor. It needed to warm up just enough over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. That was all there was to making the mixture for the lemon basil granita!
An 8 x 8 pan was the perfect vessel for the job of freezing the lemon basil granita. The liquid needed to be fairly shallow or it wouldn't freeze properly. I cleared a little room on a shelf in my over crowded freezer to have it sit level while it froze.
An 8 x 8 pan was the perfect vessel for the job of freezing the lemon basil granita. The liquid needed to be fairly shallow or it wouldn’t freeze properly. I cleared a little room on a shelf in my over crowded freezer to have it sit level while it froze.
Every hour while it fully froze, I took a fork and fluffed up the lemon basil granita. This kept it from becoming just a solid clump of ice that would have been impossible to work with. It took about 4 hours for it to become fully frozen and fluffed up into pretty ice crystals!
Every hour while it fully froze, I took a fork and fluffed up the lemon basil granita. This kept it from becoming just a solid clump of ice that would have been impossible to work with. It took about 4 hours for it to become fully frozen and fluffed up into pretty ice crystals!

Once it was done, I scooped the lemon basil granita into pretty bowls for dessert. Then I topped it with whipped cream, extra chopped basil and lemon zest. Oh my goodness, it was so refreshing! The lemon made it gorgeously tart, but the sugar and sweet whipped cream cut through it. Then the basil added a fantastic, herbaceous flavor dimension. It almost reminded me of a frozen mojito with the rum, which was fine by me! Hope you all enjoy this cooling summer treat! xoxo

Lemon Basil Granita
Lemon Basil Granita
5 from 1 vote
Lemon Basil Granita
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Lemon Basil Granita
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
4 hrs 11 mins
 

This lemon basil granita is pure summer refreshment! It's tart and sweet and so easy to make for a fantastic dessert topped with whipped cream.

Course: Dessert
Keyword: Granita, Lemon Basil Granita
Servings: 2
Calories: 168 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil plus additional for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon spiced rum
  • whipped cream for topping
  • lemon zest for topping
Instructions
  1. Pour the lemon juice through a fine mesh strainer into a small pot to make sure there are no stray seeds or pulp. Add the sugar, basil and rum to the pot as well and heat it over medium heat. Let the mixture warm up just enough to dissolve the sugar while you stir it for about 30 seconds to a minute. Take it off of the heat and pour it into an 8 x 8 baking pan and get it into the freezer on a level shelf. Let it freeze for an hour, then take it out and fluff up any crystals with a fork. Put it back in and repeat each hour until it has frozen for 4 hours total. It will end up looking like fluffy, icy snow. Serve immediately with whipped cream on top and garnished of chopped basil and lemon zest!
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Basil Granita
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 168 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 49mg2%
Potassium 303mg9%
Carbohydrates 30.1g10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Lemon Basil Granita
Lemon Basil Granita

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)