Lemon Italian Ice Food

ITALIAN LEMON ICE (GRANITA)

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups of the water with the sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Add the salt, stir, and remove the pan from the heat.
• Stir in the remaining water and let cool to room temperature.
• Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place a shallow metal 2 1/2 qt container (such as a large cake pan) in the freezer to chill.
• Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, and extract to the chilled sugar mixture; stir until well blended.
• Pour into the chilled metal pan.
• Place the pan in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until ice crystals form around the edges.
• Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer.
• Repeat every 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid, about 3 hours.
• To serve, scoop the granita into chilled dessert bowls or goblets.
• (If the granita has become too hard, scrape it with a large metal spoon to break up the ice crystals.) Serve at once.
• Advance Preparation: The granita can be stored, covered, for up to four days in the freezer, but it will have become frozen solid.
• To serve, either allow the granita to thaw in the refridgerator until you can scrape the crystals, or break it up into chunks and process with on/off motions in a food processor fitted with the knife blade until fairly smooth.

ITALIAN LEMON ICE

Steps:

• Whisk water, sugar, and lemon zest together in a medium saucepan, then bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to whisk and boil for 5 minutes. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice.
• Transfer mixture to an 8x8-inch pan and freeze for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove pan from the freezer and stir with a fork to break up the ice. Freeze again for 3 hours. Scrape and mix ice into shavings with a fork.
• Serve in chilled glasses garnished with mint and lemon wedges. Top with raspberry-flavored liqueur as a little something extra for adults.

LEMON ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Allow the water to cool. Add lemon zest and juice and stir to combine.
• Pour the mixture into a baking pan and place in the freezer.
• Gently stir the crystals every 30 minutes or so and leave until all of the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid, and the mixture is smooth-about 3 hours. When you can no longer stir the mixture, scrape it with a fork as it begins to freeze.
• Scoop into small cups to serve.

LEMON-FLAVORED ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in light corn syrup and lemon juice.
• Allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Divide cooled mixture amongst 3 plastic containers and freeze for 1 hour. Scrape ice crystals with a fork and return to freezer until ice is semi-frozen, 1 to 2 hours, scraping ice crystals every 30 minutes.
• Scoop Italian ice into small serving cups or cones and serve.

ITALIAN LEMON ICE

Steps:

• ***Water Ices*** (serves 4).
• Melt sugar in hot water, add lemon juice and rind.
• Let mixture stand for 5 minutes.
• Strain, place mixture in a freezing tray and freeze, stirring frequently, until it reaches a mushy consistency.
• If you have an electric ice cream machine, pour mixture into machine and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
• ****Roman Style**** (serves 6).
• Combine sugar and water in saucepan, heat until sugar melts.
• Add lemon juice.
• Strain mixture through a very fine sieve.
• Freeze until mushy, stirring frequently.
• Beat egg white until stiff.
• Remove ice mixture from freezer when mushy.
• Add stiffly beaten egg white and 1/4 cup sugar and mix well.
• Add rum and mix.
• Return to freezer and continue to freeze to ices consistency (not solid), stirring often.
• If you have an electric ice cream machine, pour mixture into machine and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
• Add beaten egg white and sugar according to manufacturer's instructions as you would if you were adding additional ingredients (nuts, choc chips, etc) to your ice cream.

ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Blend the fruit, sugar, honey and lemon juice with 2 cups ice in a food processor or blender until chunky. Add another 1 cup ice and blend until completely smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish and freeze 30 minutes. Scrape the ice with a fork until slushy, then freeze until firm, about 2 more hours. Scoop into paper cups.

ITALIAN ICE

Steps:

• Combine the syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and mint in a small pitcher. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
• Shave the ice by placing 2 to 3 cups crushed ice at a time in a food processor and running the machine until the ice is finely shaved. Store shaved ice in a large re-sealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 1 day.
• Place 1 1/2 cups of crushed ice in a serving dish. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of the syrup mixture over the ice. Serve immediately.

PHILLY ITALIAN LEMON ICE

Steps:

• Add water to sugar in medium bowl; stir until dissolved.
• Stir in lemon zest and juice; pour half into blender. Add cream cheese; blend until smooth. Blend in remaining lemon mixture.
• Pour into shallow dish. Freeze 4 hours or until firm.
• Use large fork to shave lemon ice into small pieces just before serving; spoon into dessert bowls.

LEMON ICE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool completely. Add the Cointreau or Grand Marnier and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.
• Churn the mixture in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Serve the ice in paper cups or small bowls.

LEMON ICE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over low heat, cook and stir sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. , Pour into a freezer container. Freeze until mixture becomes slushy, about 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. If desired, top servings with lemon slices and mint.