Lemon granita (granita al limone)

The most classic Sicilian granita: lemon, water and sugar. Tart, sweet and icy.

Lemon granita is one of Sicily’s traditional products, sipped and spooned as a refresher on a hot day. Zest simmered in the syrup brings the aroma; the juice goes into the cold syrup only at the end so it stays fresh.

Type: Granita · Servings: 6 · Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 600 g water
  • 190 g granulated sugar (sucrose)
  • 5 g grated lemon zest (from 2 unwaxed lemons)
  • 200 g lemon juice (fresh) (from 5–6 lemons)

Making the mix

  1. Simmer the water, sugar and lemon zest for 2 minutes. Leave to cool and strain out the zest.
  2. Stir the lemon juice into the cold syrup.
  3. Refrigerate the mix for at least 1 hour.

Method — No-machine method

  1. Pour the chilled mix into a shallow metal or glass container (2–3 cm deep) and put it in the freezer.
  2. After 45–60 minutes, once the edges have frozen, scrape them with a fork and mix them into the centre.
  3. Repeat the scraping every 30 minutes until everything has turned into loose, icy flakes (about 3–4 hours in total).
  4. Before serving, fork the granita through once more and spoon it into chilled glasses.

A metal container chills faster than glass. If you forget the granita for too long and it freezes into a block, let it soften for 10 minutes, then scrape it with a fork or pulse it briefly in a food processor.

Total time: 5 h 50 min

Method — Compressor ice cream maker

  1. Switch the ice cream maker on 5–10 minutes ahead so the bowl can pre-chill.
  2. Pour in the chilled mix and churn for 20–25 minutes until you have a thick, glossy, still flowing ice slush.
  3. Serve straight away — this is how the smooth granita is sold in eastern Sicily (Messina, Catania), from rotating dispensers.

An ice cream maker gives a smooth, creamy granita. Don’t churn it too long — granita shouldn’t be as firm as sorbet. Any leftovers will set in the freezer; fork them through before serving.

Total time: 2 h 15 min

Stages

Preparation
15 min
Cooking
5 min
Cooling
1 h 30 min
Freezer with stirring
4 h
Total time
5 h 50 min

Serving and storage

Serve in chilled glasses with a mint leaf or with a brioche. After a heavy meal, it makes an ideal light dessert.

Granita is best on the day it is made. It keeps for a few days in the freezer but sets hard — let it soften for 5–10 minutes before serving and scrape it again with a fork.

Tips

  • Granita should contain less sugar than sorbet — about 16–20 °Bx. A refractometer measures it precisely; without one, taste the mix: it should taste like a distinctly sweet drink, not like syrup. Fruit varies, so add a little more sugar if needed.
  • For a Sicilian-style granita, use juicy, thin-skinned lemons; the zest must be unwaxed.
  • Steep a few mint leaves in the syrup and you have granita limone e menta.

Sources