Fancyschmancycitrusgranita Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a simmer over medium low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in basil and let syrup stand for about 15 minutes.
• Now stir together orange juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Pour basil syrup through a fine sieve into the citrus juice mixture; discard basil.
• Move the mixture to a 9"x13" shallow glass or nonreactive dish. Chill in the freezer until edges are frozen, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the freezer; scrape with a fork, pulling from the edges into center. Return to the freezer. Repeat process every 30 minutes until the mix is the texture of shaved ice, about 4 hours. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with a basil sprig and lemon wheel, if using. This makes it fancy! Now eat it up!

Steps:

• Mix the 3/4 cup of sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let cool. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, combine the berries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, sliced mint and Grand Marnier, if using. Cover and let stand for at least 2 hours.
• In a shallow nonreactive pan, combine the sugar syrup, Champagne, orange juice and 4 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours.
• To serve, scrape the granita with a fork into large crystals. Spoon into chilled martini or other wide-mouthed glasses. Surround with berries and garnish with mint. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a deep-sided metal pan, and place in freezer, uncovered, until it is nearly set, at least 4 hours, whisking mixture every hour.
• Remove mixture from freezer, and scrape surface with the tines of a fork until it is the texture of shaved ice. (Mixture can be frozen overnight without whisking; remove from freezer in the morning, and let sit at room temperature about 10 minutes to allow it to slightly soften before scraping with a fork.) Serve.

Steps:

• Stir first 3 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined.
• Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Freeze until icy around edges, about 25 minutes. Using fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Freeze until mixture is frozen, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours. Using fork, scrape granita into flaky crystals. Cover tightly and freeze. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.) Scrape granita into bowls. Garnish with berries and serve.

Steps:

• Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Cool. Refrigerate syrup until cold, about 45 minutes.
• Puree enough strawberries (about 6 large) in blender to yield 1/2 cup puree. Transfer strawberry puree to large bowl. Mix grapefruit juice, Champagne, lemon juice and chilled syrup into strawberry puree. Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
• Freeze Champagne mixture until icy at edge of pan, about 55 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Freeze again until icy at edge of pan and overall texture is slushy, about 40 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Cover and freeze until mixture is solid, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, slice remaining strawberries. Place in large bowl and toss with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
• Using fork, scrape granita down length of pan, forming ice flakes. (Granita can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.) Divide sliced strawberries equally among 6 wineglasses. Top with granita and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Rinse strawberries with cold water; let drain. Transfer berries to a blender and add sugar, water, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and salt.
• Pulse several times to get the mixture moving, then blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a large baking dish. Puree should only be about 3/8 inch deep in the dish.
• Place dish uncovered in the freezer until mixture barely begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes. Mixture will still be slushy in the center.
• Lightly stir the crystals from the edge of the granita mixture into the center, using a fork, and mix thoroughly. Close freezer and chill until granita is nearly frozen, 30 to 40 more minutes. Mix lightly with a fork as before, scraping the crystals loose. Repeat freezing and stirring with the fork 3 to 4 times until the granita is light, crystals are separate, and granita looks dry and fluffy.
• Portion granita into small serving bowls to serve.