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Lemon Granita or Lemon Ice (Granita al Limone)

Lemon granita, or lemon ice, as we know it in English, is a refreshing, frozen, Italian lemonade treat. I won’t say it’s a dessert because granita al limone is also served for breakfast in Sicily!

Lemon granita in lemon shell

No matter what you call this, it’s a wonderfully sweet-tart, refreshing treat to have in the summertime. If you can make lemonade and stir, you can make this!

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I remember the first time I went to Sicily and my Uncle Nino invited me to the local village bar for breakfast. I’ll save the rest of the story for another recipe, but I was so surprised that he wanted me to have granita for breakfast! Yes, they serve it with a brioche bun, and I was hesitant to try it because I thought it was a strange thing for breakfast and at that time, I never ate breakfast.

arancini on a plate with basil
Another thing Uncle Nino introduced me to in Sicily: arancini. Click the photo for the recipe.

However, Uncle Nino insisted and I tried one and I did. I was back each morning thereafter during my stay! Although it was a strawberry granita I had, I remember the choices were lemon, strawberry and coffee.

Lemon granita in lemon shell

Now, I always think of Sicily when I think of granitas (I was going to write “granite” which is plural in Italian, but that’s too confusing!) 😂 However, don’t miss making a strawberry granita during strawberry season!

strawberry granitas in glasses

Here’s a little suggestion that has nothing to do with breakfast or the Italian way of serving lemon ice.

lemon granita in a glass

It’s a really great frozen-sort-of-cocktail-dessert if you add vodka!

adding vodka to lemon granita

I hope you try this cool and delicious Italian or Sicilian treat! Be sure to use really good quality lemons for the best flavor. It’s almost as easy as one of my very favorite desserts: lemon posset! I don’t have the recipe for it, but my friend Cynthia at What a Girl Eats, does.

rhubarb granita in a martini glass

I also recommend trying rhubarb granita! It’s phenomenal!

lemon ice in a martini glass

Lemon Granita or Lemon Ice (Granita al Limone)

Recipe by Christina and Lidia Conte.         serves 8

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

  • sugar
  • water
  • lemon juice
  • lemon zest (optional)
  • whole lemons (for the skin/peel and the pulp can be used for the juice)

How to Prepare Lemon Cups

Slice the lemons in half lengthwise, then pull the flesh away from the skin.

scooping out lemon for granita

Once all the flesh is loose, scoop it out completely (using a grapefruit spoon makes it easy-peasy.)

scooping out the flesh of a citrus fruit

Ta dah, a beautiful way to serve anything lemon flavored. Pop them in the freezer so that they will keep the granita colder, longer.

lemon shell cup

If not serving the same day, once solid, put them into a container or freezer bag.

Make the Lemon Granita

sugar syrup with wooden spoon

Put the water and sugar into a  medium sized pan over  medium heat, just until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, allow to cool then place in the refrigerator to chill.

grating a lemon

When the syrup is cold, add the lemon juice and lemon zest, if using, and mix well. Pour into a shallow (preferably metal) container and place in the freezer. Set a time for 40 minutes.

After half an hour, remove the pan from the freezer and stir the mixture well, especially from the sides. Continue to set a timer for 40 minutes and repeat the procedure until the entire mixture has turned into ice crystals. It will take about two hours, possibly longer to achieve this. 

Remove from the container and serve in hollowed lemon shells or glasses.

scooping the ice into the cup

Garnish with a sprig of mint, if desired. Keep any leftover granita in a sealed container in the freezer.

Lemon granita in lemon shell

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Lemon granita in lemon shell

Lemon Granita or Lemon Ice (Granita al Limone)

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

An Italian frozen sweet lemon ice!

Ingredients

  • 145 g (3/4 c) sugar
  • 1 liter (4 cups) water
  • 200 ml (7 oz) lemon juice, preferably from a Meyer lemon
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
  • 4 whole lemons (for the skin/peel and the pulp can be used for the juice)

Instructions

How to Prepare Lemon Cups

  1. Slice the lemons in half lengthwise, then pull the flesh away from the skin.
  2. Once all the flesh is loose, scoop it out completely.
  3. Pop them in the freezer so that they will keep the granita colder, longer. If not serving the same day, once solid, put them into a container or freezer bag.


Make the Lemon Granita

  1. Put the water and sugar into a  medium sized pan over  medium heat, just until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, allow to cool then place in the refrigerator to chill.
  2. When the syrup is cold, add the lemon juice and lemon zest, if using, and mix well. Pour into a shallow (preferably metal) container and place in the freezer. Set a time for 40 minutes.
  3. After half an hour, remove the pan from the freezer and stir the mixture well, especially from the sides. Continue to set a timer for 40 minutes and repeat the procedure until the entire mixture has turned into ice crystals. It will take about two hours, possibly longer to acheive this. 
  4. Remove from the container and serve in hollowed lemon shells or glasses. 

Notes

Serve in a glass with a splash of vodka for an adult version of this treat!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 150Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 6gSugar: 200gProtein: 8g

Nutrition information is only an estimate.

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15 Comments

  1. So refreshing and perfect for our heat wave! As you will read this weekend, we were gifted with a bag full of lemons and now I know how some will get used! And, we had many granite in Sicily — lemon was definitely my favorite. Almond cake a close second. :)