Strawberry granita

Strawberry granitaThis 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
  1. 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.
  2. Thinly slice 200g of the strawberries and set aside for garnish.
  3. Puree the remaining 600g strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Add the lime syrup to the strawberries and pulse until well combined.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

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