Italian Lemon & Basil Granita
Deluxe Shaved Ice & Slushy Maker
$39.99
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Ingredients
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
1-2 cups of loosely packed basil leaves, plus more to garnish
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
¼ cup vodka, optional
3 cups shaved ice (2 cups of ice cubes)
4-6 lemons for serving, (optional)
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Instructions
In a saucepan on the stovetop, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-safe container and let cool to room temperature.
Once cool, add basil leaves and muddle. Let steep for one hour.
Strain to remove the basil leaves then stir in lemon juice and vodka.
Adjust Shaved Ice Maker to the “Medium” setting. Shave ice by adding no more than 8 medium-sized ice cubes to the Chamber of the Maker, taking note that the Maker can only accommodate about 8 ice cubes at once for proper shaving. Shave in batches into the Serving Pitcher until there are about 3 cups of shaved ice.
Use the Serving Pitcher to add shaved ice to lemon mixture. Transfer mixture to a freezer- safe container and freeze for 30 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and stir thoroughly, especially from the sides. Return to freezer and freeze for a further 30 minutes, stir thoroughly, and repeat this process until the mixture has been in the freezer for at least 2 hours total. Once the entire mixture is the consistency of ice crystals, it’s time to serve.
Evenly distribute into small dessert dishes to serve, or serve in hollowed-out lemons.
To serve in lemons, cut the tops off of both sides of each lemon such that the lemon can stand upright. Use a sharp knife to hollow out the lemon, using a spoon as necessary to remove the citrus flesh.
Chill the lemon vessels in the fridge while the granita chills in the freezer. When ready to serve, distribute the granita evenly between lemon vessels.
Garnish with more basil, serve immediately, and enjoy this Italian treat!
