Granitas are fluffy, icy, zesty freshingly cold beauties perfect for a sunny hot day or as a lovely stop to a meal when you want to be refreshed with an airy bite.
This recipe is non alcoholic using water but infusing Rosemary into the mixture with a good dose of fresh lemon citrus which is not too sweet but has a sharpness but with the comforting fragrance of Rosemary. I use a fork to fluff the mixture up which has more ice particles due to the water content but still retains its cloud like snow texture.
Very easy to make in advance or using the Magimix Gelato Expert Machine.
Ingredients
100g Caster Sugar
350ml of Water
6 freshly squeezed lemons
1 long lemon skin peel (washed)
1 small egg white whisked
3 bushy Rosemary long sprigs
Put the Caster Sugar and water in a small pan adding the Rosemary long sprigs and large cut lemon skin peel and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool in the fridge or on an outside window sill (if made in the winter as its cooler outside) and when cooled bring in and remove the rosemary and lemon peel.
Freshly squeeze the lemon juice and remove the pips.
Start the Magimix Gelato Expert machine on its cooling function for 5 – 10 minutes.
Start the Granita function.
Add the Sugar and Rosemary/Lemon peel infused water mixture (but having removed the Rosemary and Lemon previously)
Add the squeezed lemon juice
Add the whisked egg white
Continue on the Granita cycle until the flickering switch indicates it has stopped – the Granita will be fluffy and icy.
Serve immediately or freeze in a container in the freezer, remembering to fluff up the mixture when serving with a fork. If making without a Gelato machine, then simply pour the ingredients into container and freeze for 4 hours and run a fork over and through to get the icy consistency. Before serving take out of the freezer to slighly defrost and run the fork over again.
To serve you can cut small sprigs of fresh Rosemary and place upside down to resemble a small Christmas Tree. You may have to strip the Rosemary leaves so that they look symmetrical – which is quite fun to do. These are decorative and removed before eating the Granita.
Place the small Rosemary sprigs upside down on the Granita and sprinkle with icing sugar for a Christmassy look. I like to serve in pre-chilled bowls (I've used my handmade porcelain bowls here, which chill nicely).
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