Best 8 Lemon Basil Granita Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

In the realm of refreshing summertime treats, lemon basil granita stands as a delightful culinary symphony, tantalizing taste buds with its vibrant citrus notes and herbaceous undertones. This frozen dessert, originating from the sun-kissed lands of Italy, boasts a texture that strikes a perfect balance between delicate and coarse, delivering an invigorating burst of flavor with every spoonful. Whether you're seeking a sweet ending to a savory meal or a refreshing pick-me-up on a sweltering afternoon, lemon basil granita promises an unforgettable gastronomic journey.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

LEMON BASIL GRANITA



Lemon Basil Granita image

Lemon Basil Granita a cool light dessert which features a burst of lemon flavor and a taste of basil perfect for a hot summer day.

Provided by Dawn

Categories     Dessert

Time 3h15m

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
Zest from one lemon
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Steps:

  • Add the water, sugar, lemon zest, and basil to a medium sauce pan. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once the mixture comes to a boil turn the heat down slightly and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat after the 5 minutes and cover. Let this mixture steep for 15 minutes.
  • Strain the mixture into a bread pan and discard the lemon zest and basil leaves. Add the lemon juice. Cool for about 10 minutes and set in the refrigerator.
  • Once the mixture is chilled move it to the freezer. After 30 minutes take a fork and scrape the ice off of the sides of the bread pan. Continue this process until the mixture is frozen.
  • Scoop into dessert dishes and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 102 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving

ITALIAN LEMON ICE (GRANITA)



Italian Lemon Ice (Granita) image

Lemon granita is easily the most popular of all Italian ices, and with good reason. On a hot summer's day, no refreshment beats it tangy, revitalizing taste. Prep time included chill time. From The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.

Provided by Bev I Am

Categories     Frozen Desserts

Time 5h20m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup fresh lemon juice (juice of about 6 medium lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemons, rind of (about the peel from 1 medium lemon)
2 teaspoons lemon extract

Steps:

  • Combine 2 cups of the water with the sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Add the salt, stir, and remove the pan from the heat.
  • Stir in the remaining water and let cool to room temperature.
  • Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, place a shallow metal 2 1/2 qt container (such as a large cake pan) in the freezer to chill.
  • Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, and extract to the chilled sugar mixture; stir until well blended.
  • Pour into the chilled metal pan.
  • Place the pan in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until ice crystals form around the edges.
  • Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer.
  • Repeat every 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid, about 3 hours.
  • To serve, scoop the granita into chilled dessert bowls or goblets.
  • (If the granita has become too hard, scrape it with a large metal spoon to break up the ice crystals.) Serve at once.
  • Advance Preparation: The granita can be stored, covered, for up to four days in the freezer, but it will have become frozen solid.
  • To serve, either allow the granita to thaw in the refridgerator until you can scrape the crystals, or break it up into chunks and process with on/off motions in a food processor fitted with the knife blade until fairly smooth.

LEMON GRANITA



Lemon Granita image

Provided by Food Network

Time 2h10m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 3

6 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely-grated lemon zest

Steps:

  • In a saucepan combine sugar with 1 1/2 cups water; bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat, leave to cool, then refrigerate until cold. Stir in lemon juice and zest. Pour lemon syrup into a square metal cake pan and place in freezer. Freeze 2 hours in all, removing pan from freezer every 30 minutes, stirring and scraping with a metal fork until ice crystals break up. After 2 hours, granita will resemble snow. Scrape into 4 dessert goblets and serve with a spoon and a straw if desired.

LEMON-BASIL GRANITA



Lemon-Basil Granita image

Feel free to add a 1/4 cup of vodka to this recipe if you'd prefer it "adultified."

Provided by Valerie Bertinelli

Categories     Citrus,dessert,herbs,Summer

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 cup sugar
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus small leaves for garnish
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
¼ cup vodka, optional

Steps:

  • Combine the sugar with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Warm the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature.
  • Add the basil to the sugar syrup and muddle the leaves with the base of a wooden spoon. Let steep for 1 hour. Strain the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish (discard the basil). Stir in the lemon juice and vodka, if using. Freeze until the mixture begins to set, about 2 hours. Scrape with a fork to form small crystals in the ice every 30 minutes to an hour until the mixture is fully frozen, about 1 hour more.
  • Serve the granita in chilled glasses, garnished with the small basil leaves.

LEMON-BASIL GRANITA RECIPE - (4.5/5)



Lemon-Basil Granita Recipe - (4.5/5) image

Provided by Chez_Alexander

Number Of Ingredients 5

3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
2 TBS lemon juice

Steps:

  • 1. In medium sauce pan bring water and sugar to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat; cool slightly (about 20 minutes). Add basil and let stand 30 minutes more. Pour through a fine mesh sieve; discard basil. Stir lemon peel and juice into syrup. Pour into a shallow baking dish. Cover; freeze 2 hours (edges should be firm and center almost firm). 2. Transfer mixture, half at a time, to blender. Cover; blend until slushy, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Spoon back into dish, spreading evenly. Cover; freeze 2 hours more or until firm. 3. To serve, scrape across surface of mixture with a small ice cream scoop. Place scoops in small dishes. Top with lemon slices, fresh mint leaves, and/or edible flowers. Makes 6 servings. Each serving = 4 Weight Watchers points.

MEYER LEMON GRANITA



Meyer Lemon Granita image

Peggy Knickerbocker is a San Francisco-based cookbook author. Here's her recipe for a simple, but incredibly refreshing, lemon granita. This classic Sicilian dessert only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 2-3 hours to freeze. You will need to be around as the granita freezes, as it has to be stirred every half hour or so. Eureka and regular lemons can be used as well, but taste the granita for tartness-you may need to add more sweetener. If you cannot find superfine sugar or agave syrup, place granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pule for 30 seconds until pulverized. This is the perfect anti-nausea treat! -- from the book: Feed the Belly.

Provided by Peachie Keene

Categories     < 4 Hours

Time 3h5m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 meyer lemon, zest of, grated
3 cups mineral water
2 sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 cup agave syrup or 2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 cup fresh meyer lemon juice (about 5 regular meyer lemons)

Steps:

  • Place the zest, water, mint springs, and agave or sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir for about one minute.
  • Remove from the heat, and allow the syrup to cool slightly in the refrigerator.
  • When chilled, strain out the lemon zest and the mint sprigs.
  • Stir the lemon juice into the chilled syrup. Taste to make sure the mixture is not too tart; if it is, add a little more sugar.
  • Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch shallow baking dish (metal, ceramic, or glass), so the mixture is about an inch deep.
  • Place in the freezer.
  • Every 30 minutes stir with a fork, scraping the crystals down from the side of the dish.
  • When the granita is slightly slushy, but definitely frozen hard, with small firm granules of ice, it's done. It will take 2-3 hours to get to this stage.
  • The granita may be transferred to an airtight container and stored for a couple hours before serving.
  • Remove the granita from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving, so it softens slightly.
  • Serve in dessert bowls or glasses.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 4.1, Sodium 0.4, Carbohydrate 1.3, Fiber 0.4, Sugar 0.3, Protein 0.1

ZESTY LEMON GRANITA



Zesty Lemon Granita image

A light dessert with a refreshing, icy texture, one taste tester dubbed this "the most lemony thing I've ever eaten"! -Sonya Labbe, Santa Monica, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 15m

Yield 2 cups.

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Steps:

  • In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and thyme. Transfer to an 8-in. square dish; cool to room temperature., Remove thyme sprigs. Freeze for 1 hour; stir with a fork. Freeze 2-3 hours longer or until completely frozen, stirring every 30 minutes., Stir granita with a fork just before serving; spoon into dessert dishes. Garnish with lemon zest.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 140 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 0 sodium, Carbohydrate 37g carbohydrate (34g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 0 protein.

LEMON GRANITA



Lemon Granita image

Categories     Dessert     Freeze/Chill     Kid-Friendly     Low Sodium     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Lemon     Summer     Vegan     Gourmet     Fat Free     Kidney Friendly     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Dairy Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher     Small Plates

Yield Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 3

2 to 3 large lemons
1 cup filtered or bottled still water (not distilled)
1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar

Steps:

  • With a vegetable peeler remove zest in long pieces from 2 lemons. Squeeze 1/2 cup juice from lemons.
  • In a small heavy saucepan heat water and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in zest and transfer syrup to a bowl to cool. Chill syrup, covered, until cold. Discard zest and stir in lemon juice.
  • For eastern-Sicilian granita:
  • Freeze lemon mixture in an ice-cream maker until spoonable but not crumbly and serve immediately.
  • For western-Sicilian granita:
  • Freeze lemon mixture in a metal bowl, stirring every 30 minutes to remove ice crystals from side of bowl, until liquid has become granular but is still slightly slushy, about 3 to 4 hours. Serve granita immediately.

Tips:

  • For the perfect granita texture, freeze the mixture in a shallow pan and scrape it with a fork every 30 minutes until it reaches a slushy consistency.
  • To make the granita extra smooth, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
  • For a more intense lemon flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest.
  • For a sweeter granita, add a little bit of sugar or honey to the mixture before freezing.
  • Garnish the granita with fresh basil leaves, lemon slices, or berries for a refreshing and colorful presentation.

Conclusion:

Lemon basil granita is a refreshing and flavorful summer treat that is easy to make at home. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious and healthy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you are looking for a light and refreshing snack or a sweet and satisfying dessert, lemon basil granita is sure to hit the spot. So next time you are craving something cool and delicious, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

Related Topics