Granita al Limone

Name: Granita al Limone
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Siciliana
Ingredients: 500 ml Water; 180 g caster sugar; 5 whole unwaxed lemons; 3 strips lemon zest strips; 4 whole brioche col tuppo

A semi-frozen, refreshingly tart Sicilian ice dessert made from freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar, whipped to a fine texture.

🇮🇹Italy· Sicily

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 5 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 145 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 5 gathered

Servings

500 ml Water — filtered tap or mineral water
180 g caster sugar — white granulated sugar also works
5 whole unwaxed lemons — yielding about 200 ml juice
3 strips lemon zest strips — pared thinly with no white bitter pith
4 whole brioche col tuppo — warm Sicilian brioche buns, to serve alongside

Equipment

•Small saucepan
•Citrus juicer
•Fine sieve
•Shallow metal baking dish
•Fork or whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 145 kcal
fat: 0.1 g
carbs: 37 g
fibre: 0.3 g
protein: 0.4 g
calories: 145 kcal

Instructions

1
Pare three wide strips of yellow peel from one washed lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith.
2
Combine the water, caster sugar, and lemon peel strips in a small saucepan.
3
Warm over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar completely dissolves.
4
Bring the syrup to a gentle simmer for two minutes, then remove from heat.
5
Discard the lemon peel and let the sugar syrup cool completely to room temperature.
6
Squeeze the lemons to yield 200 ml of fresh juice, then strain through a fine sieve.
7
Stir the strained lemon juice thoroughly into the cooled sugar syrup.
8
Pour the mixture into a wide, shallow metal dish and place flat in the freezer.
9
Freeze for forty-five minutes until ice crystals begin forming around the edges.
10
Scrape and crush the ice crystals vigorously with a fork towards the centre.
11
Return to the freezer and repeat scraping every thirty minutes for two hours until smooth.
12
Spoon into chilled glasses and serve immediately with warm brioche.

Chef's tips

Messina granita is prized for a very fine, creamy crystal structure rather than coarse crushed ice. Do not skip the regular fork scraping, as this breaks down larger ice crystals into a smooth slush. Use fragrant unwaxed lemons, as their essential oils give the syrup its characteristic citrus aroma.

Ingredient substitutions

caster sugar → granulated white sugar in equal weight
brioche col tuppo → plain soft sweet brioche rolls

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week.

Reheating

Leave at room temperature for ten minutes, then beat vigorously with a fork until spoonable.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving the mixture in the freezer without stirring, resulting in a solid block of ice
•Including the bitter white pith when paring the lemon zest for the syrup
•Using bottled lemon juice instead of freshly squeezed unwaxed citrus

Serving suggestions

Serve in tall clear glasses alongside warm Sicilian brioche col tuppoTop with a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream for a classic café variationEnjoy outdoors on warm mornings with a glass of iced water