Refreshing, Tart Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries
I took your typical oreo icebox cake and swapped out the oreos for shortbread cookies, swapped out the whipped cream for limoncello-spiked whipped cream, and piled a ton of fresh raspberries on top. It was spring in a bowl - with an amazing little zing, subtle lemon flavor, and lots of brightness!
Happy Independence Day to those of you in America, and happy July 4th to everyone ;)
I made this super simple lemon granita on Monday, and the result was an exquisite tart, sweet lemon explosion. This bright lemon ice is child's play to make, but for a little grownup update, I topped it with a drizzle of limoncello and a handful of fresh raspberries. It’s the perfect summer treat: finished in an ice cream maker in 15 minutes, flat, and ready to delight any barbecue guest.
Refreshing, Tart Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries
Recipe by: Slightly adapted from Gourmet, via Epicurious
Yield: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
2 to 4 large lemons
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
a few teaspoons limoncello (optional)
fresh berries (optional)
Directions:
With a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove zest in long pieces from 1 lemon. Scrape off the white rind from the zest if you got much -- this could make your granita bitter. Finely grate off the zest of another lemon. Squeeze 1/2 cup juice from lemons (this took 4 lemons worth of squeezin' for me, but you only use the zest from the first 2).
In a small heavy saucepan over medium high heat, combine water and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in zest (strips and grated) and transfer this mixture to a bowl to cool. Chill syrup, covered, overnight.
About 20 minutes before you'd like to serve your granita, discard large strips of zest (the grated zest stays in for flavor and texture) and stir the 1/2 cup lemon juice into the syrup. Freeze lemon mixture in an ice-cream maker until it's "spoonable but not crumbly." This usually took about 12-15 minutes for me. (If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture, stirring every 30 minutes, for 3-4 hours.) Serve immediately, garnished with a teaspoon of limoncello and fresh berries if desired.
To read another story about wayward young Julie and see more photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking!
x-posted to food_porn, picturing_food, cooking, cookingupastorm
Happy Independence Day to those of you in America, and happy July 4th to everyone ;)
I made this super simple lemon granita on Monday, and the result was an exquisite tart, sweet lemon explosion. This bright lemon ice is child's play to make, but for a little grownup update, I topped it with a drizzle of limoncello and a handful of fresh raspberries. It’s the perfect summer treat: finished in an ice cream maker in 15 minutes, flat, and ready to delight any barbecue guest.
Refreshing, Tart Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries
Recipe by: Slightly adapted from Gourmet, via Epicurious
Yield: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
2 to 4 large lemons
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
a few teaspoons limoncello (optional)
fresh berries (optional)
Directions:
With a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove zest in long pieces from 1 lemon. Scrape off the white rind from the zest if you got much -- this could make your granita bitter. Finely grate off the zest of another lemon. Squeeze 1/2 cup juice from lemons (this took 4 lemons worth of squeezin' for me, but you only use the zest from the first 2).
In a small heavy saucepan over medium high heat, combine water and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in zest (strips and grated) and transfer this mixture to a bowl to cool. Chill syrup, covered, overnight.
About 20 minutes before you'd like to serve your granita, discard large strips of zest (the grated zest stays in for flavor and texture) and stir the 1/2 cup lemon juice into the syrup. Freeze lemon mixture in an ice-cream maker until it's "spoonable but not crumbly." This usually took about 12-15 minutes for me. (If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture, stirring every 30 minutes, for 3-4 hours.) Serve immediately, garnished with a teaspoon of limoncello and fresh berries if desired.
To read another story about wayward young Julie and see more photos, please head over to Willow Bird Baking!
x-posted to food_porn, picturing_food, cooking, cookingupastorm