Lemon-Berry Granita with Balsamic & Basil

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Lemon-Berry Granita with Balsamic & Basil

Posted by Cassie / 61 comments » / Drinks

Granitas are for celebrating. We are doing some celebrating today, won’t you join in? You might know this sweet girl named Megan. She shares her wit and genuine love for food at Wanna Be a Country Clever. And you might know that she’s getting hitched, and it’s right around the corner.

This fact calls for a few things:

1. celebrating
2. and more celebrating
3. and friends to help her celebrate.

(This is where you and I come in!)

SURPRISE Megan! We threw you a shower and it’s jam-packed with major flavor and fun. We are so stinking happy for you and Ben! Enjoy your treats and every single moment to come!

Drinks
Cassie | Bake Your Day | Lemon-Berry Granitas with Balsamic & Basil (You are here!)
Laurie | Simply Scratch | Blueberry Lemonade Spritzers

Entrees
Jeanne | Inside NanaBread’s Head | Greek Salmon Wraps
Michelle | A Recipe Junkie | Fresh Melon & Crispy Proscuitto Salad

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Lemon-Berry Granita with Basamic & Basil Recipe

Yield: 6 (1/2-cup) servings

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

A sweet summer slushy: fresh strawberries, tangy balsamic, sweet basil and tart lemon.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tsp. lemon zest, freshly grated
1 pound fresh strawberries, stems removed, halved
2 Tbs. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbs. high-quality balsamic vinegar

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, chopped basil leaves and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture slightly thickens, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Puree the strawberries using a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and pulse to combine. Pour in the slightly cooled syrup and pulse again just until well-combined.

Pour the mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Freeze for 60 minutes, and then gently scrape the top layer with a fork. Replace the plastic wrap and freeze another 30 minutes, and re-scrape the top layer with a fork. Repeat 2-3 more times until it is frozen through. Divide into four serving glasses and garnish with additional fruit and basil.

Cassie's Notes:
I have made these with and without adding alcohol. Honestly, I liked them much better without but to make them a little boozy, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of rum or vodka (or your choice of liquor) in with the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.