This refreshing strawberry granita is more rustic than a sorbet yet more refined than a slushy – and super-easy to make. It’s a great way to use all those baskets full of fresh strawberries that you picked (we like it when you do that).
The recipe works just as well with frozen strawberries – just partially defrost the fruit enough to puree it, then refreeze as below.
Balsamic vinegar is a surprisingly good partner for strawberries – we added it to the original recipe to give this one some depth.
- 250ml water
- 150g sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
- 800g strawberries, hulled
- Small fresh mint sprigs for garnish
- Combine the water, sugar, lime juice and balsamic in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
- Thinly slice 200g of the strawberries and set aside for garnish.
- Puree the remaining 600g strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Add the lime syrup to the strawberries and pulse until well combined.
- Pour the strawberry mixture into a large, shallow metal baking pan (eg 33 x 23 x 5cm). Freeze for 25 to 30 minutes until icy around the edges. Break up the ice crystals by scraping the frozen edges into the centre with a fork. Return the pan to the freezer, then repeat scraping the icy parts every 20 minutes until the mixture forms an icy slush. This could take up to 2 hours. Scrape the entire pan once more, then cover it tightly and freeze overnight.
- To serve, scrape the granita into bowls, then garnish with the sliced strawberries and a mint sprig. Serve immediately.
With a big thank you to Finn Darby for his help testing the recipe.