So refreshing
We have a lot of lemon juice after making a batch of limoncello recently. We wanted a lemon dessert that was light and summery and this fit the bill. The recipe below serves about four.
Lemon Basil Granita
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 14 basil leaves, torn into large pieces
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
In a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, combine sugar, basil and water. Heat until just combined. (If you look away and it comes to a boil, it won’t be the end of the world.) Remove mixture from stove and allow to cool completely. Once cool, strain the mix into a shallow pan, discarding the basil leaves and stir in the lemon juice. Freeze, scraping the granita and stirring every hour or so. It should take about four hours to freeze completely, but that will depend largely on how many times you sample the product. Garnish with fresh basil.
Note: Yes, we really love granita around here. In the last year or so, we’ve made grapefruit, strawberry, strawberry balsamic, blackberry honey, coffee, and watermelon. You can find them all here.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide 
I want some of this right now — I don’t want to wait four and a half hours!
You make the best stuff. This granita would suit me down to the ground.
Maybe I should be making this instead of lemon jelly!
I have still yet to make a granita. Every time I see one I want to make it. Then I forget. I have to stop forgetting. This one looks right up my alley too. 🙂
I’ve recently gone on a bit of an ice cream making binge in the last couple of days (you can check the recent LJ posts if you’re curious) so I’m going to be taking a closer look at the different flavour combinations you’ve posted. The lemon sounds very refreshing but I have some qualms about the basil part. 🙂
So fresh and light – the basil is a great idea.
Lemon granita is so good on its own. Adding the basil is a great idea and I bet the mix of its scent with the lemon is really appetizing.
Such a beautifully refreshing treat !
Granitas are on my mind at the moment. I was reading of an apricot one yesterday and now your lemon granita has entered the arena. I see a lot of granita making:)
Sounds perfect for the hot summers you get.
Scored some peaches at the farmer’s market…think I’ll do a granita.
Thanks for the reminder!
Wow…you can get a lot of mileage/variations from this one recipe. Living near the watermelon capital, I’ll have to try watermelon.
There’s definitely a formula, but you’d be amazed at how subtle twists can really vary things up. The honey in the blackberry one makes it almost like a sorbet.
This sounds great, Greg. I’m doing a Thai inspired dinner party this Saturday, I’m going to try this with Thai Basil.
I’ll be keeping an eye out for the post, Eva. My own thai basil (3 plants are doing well) is pretty small but hopefully I’ll get enough for a good crop for curry and summer rolls. The original plant I got the seeds from last fall was pretty spicy for my taste though so I wonder what it would taste like in an ice cream.
Oh yes please…love the basil in it!
This would be perfect for the hundred degree temps we are having. I bet for you too.
Mmm, granita. This would co nicely with my whole “monday meltdown” thing. 😉 AND, now I’m all caught up on your posts. What a great week you guys had.
Thanks, welcome back!
Yessssss lemon and basil. Throw in some cucumber too and you’re talking maximum refreshment 😀
This looks so delightful, and I love lemon and basil together. So I have a question if you can answer…have you ever tried freezing one of your granita recipes into pops…does that work? I just got new pop molds and I’m all over the place thinking about all the mixtures I want to try in them!
Some of them with more sugar probably would. Like this one. Or the one with honey. We’ve never tried though. Don’t have pop molds.
This looks sooo refreshing. Thanks for sharing!
I have never made a granita, i wonder how this would be with lime basil leaves.. c
Making this over the weekend. I may have to add a splash of rum though!
How cool! Literally. I love granitas…so easy and perfect for these hot days.
You are teasing me this is the perfect summer dessert, fresh and cold.
Ha! I was just thinking… “so refreshing”!!!
summer!
Oh gee, this looks amazing, I wish the days here were a bit warmer so I’d have an excuse to make it 🙂 Bookmarked, nevertheless….sooooonnn! 🙂
mmmm, that sounds so good!
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It sounds delicious! And I love that I don’t need an ice cream machine to make this 😉