Raspberry Granita

Granita, originating in Sicily, is found all over Italy.  It's a cinch to make and really, there isn't a wrong way to make it! In Italy, you will find a crystallized granita in the west to a smooth almost, sorbet-like, granita in the east.  It seems to differ between each city.  I really enjoy both textures, although I made this recipe a little smoother.  

The key to granita is a little patience and a lot of scraping.  As the raspberry mixture is chilling, scrape the outer edges of the pan every 45 minutes.  No ice cream maker needed! 

This is a wonderful recipe to make with your little ones.  Ky (5) loved watching the crystals form and helping me scrape them up.  Once it was finally finished (which took A LOT of patience for the girls, who wanted to eat it each time it was taken out of the freezer) they quickly devoured this fun treat and promptly demanded more.  

I'm thinking a refreshing green tea or lavender water granita is soon to come!  

Raspberry Granita

Recipe created by Epicurean Mom

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh raspberries, rinsed

1 cup water 

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat and let cool in the fridge for 30-45 minutes, or until cool to the touch.   

Blend raspberries in a blender, until smooth.  Run raspberry puree through a sieve into a medium bowl; or skip this step if you prefer the seeds.  Add the cooled sugared water and lemon juice, stir well.  Pour raspberry mixture into a shallow pan and place in the freezer for 1 hour.  Remove and scrape the crystallized raspberry puree from the sides of the pan.  Return to the freezer.  Repeat this process every 30-45 minutes, until completely frozen, about 4 hours.  Fluff flakes with a fork, and serve immediately or store in an airtight freezable container and fluff before serving. 

Strawberry Sorbet {Sorbet Cookies}

When life gives you sorbet, make sorbet sandwiches!  

The last few days Ky (5) has been begging for ice cream. Flavor? Cone? Who cares, says a 5 year old!   Let's just say my little sorbet princess was in heaven!  

This simple strawberry sorbet has just 4 ingredients and is oh so delightful!  

Ky said "Moooom, this is the very best ice cream I've ever had! Can I have another one?" A mom's response... absolutely not! But if you clean the dishes you can have 2 more!  

To make this sorbet extra kid-friendly sandwich the sorbet in between two shortbread cookies! What kid could resist a sorbet sandwich?? My girls sure couldn't.

Strawberry Sorbet

Yields 6 ice cream cones

Recipe created by Epicurean Mom

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

5 cups strawberries, rinsed and halved 

1/3 cup orange juice

Preparation:

Combine the water and sugar (simple syrup) in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute then take off heat and let cool in the fridge.

Pour halved strawberries in the bowl of a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Place in the fridge.

Once simple syrup and strawberry puree is chilled, combine both in a medium bowl add orange juice and mix well.   Pour strawberry mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and use according to manufacturer's instructions.  

Spoon into a pan, cover and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Serve and enjoy!

Watermelon and Kiwi Proseco Sorbet

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Sorbet may be one of those summer snacks you yearn for in the winter; but why wait until summer??  Living on the West Coast we have been adorned with beautiful 80 degree weather all week, and a perfect light sorbet was just in order! 

Watermelon may not be in season for some.  Instead of using fresh blended watermelon, fresh watermelon juice (such as naked juice) from a whole foods grocery store will work just fine.  

Sorbet is the easiest cold treat to make in a snap.  It just takes 3-4 ingredients and a little bit of patience.  Couldn't be easier or healthier!  This time, this icy treat was for mommy and daddy.  Although to make the sorbet kid-friendly just omit the proseco and add water.

Do you have a favorite fruit??  

Try substituting it in this recipe!  Blood oranges or pears would be absolutely delicious! 

For this recipe I used agave nectar instead of granulated sugar.  Agave nectar's glycemic index is much lower then sugar, meaning it's healthier and helps balance your body's fat storage.  Be sure to take the sorbet out of the freezer a few minutes prior to serving, since using the agave nectar will harden the sorbet slightly.

Watermelon and Kiwi Proseco Sorbet 
Recipe created by Epicurean Mom

For Watermelon Sorbet:

1 1/2 cups proseco (sparkling wine)

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons agave nectar

2  cups fresh watermelon juice, run through a sieve

3 basil leaves, minced (optional)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the proseco and agave nectar.  Bring to a rapid boil, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes.  

Once cooled, add watermelon juice and basil leaves to the proseco mixture, stir until well incorporated. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until chilled.  Pour watermelon mixture into the basin of an ice cream maker and use according to manufactures instructions.  Spoon into a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 5 hours.  Garnish with mint and serve. 

For Kiwi Sorbet:

2 cups proseco (sparkling wine)

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons agave nectar

2  cups fresh kiwi juice, run through a sieve 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the proseco and agave nectar.  Bring to a rapid boil, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes.  

Once cooled, add kiwi juice to the proseco mixture, stir until well incorporated. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until chilled.  Pour kiwi mixture into the basin of an ice cream maker and use according to manufactures instructions.  Spoon into a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 5 hours.  Garnish with mint and serve. 

Dark Cherry Sherbet

The last week here in Southern California (with the exception of a few days) has been hot!  When I say hot, I mean H.O.T!  The girls and I were huddled in the house with half a dozen fans directed at us.  Yes, sounds excessive but to us  (California pansies) we are in no way prepared for 95 degree heat.  Although my oldest daughter uses the heat as an excuse to eat ice cold popsicles.

Seems as though she's 'roughing' through the heat just fine. 

When I, recently, read Ree's ( Pioneer Woman ) post about cherry sherbet, it sounded like the perfect fix to an utterly hot week.  Plus I'm a sucker for cherries!


Who isn't, right??

Usually ice creams are more time consuming and tedious to make, sense they usually contain eggs.  Ree's recipe is easy and delicious! If you choose to use fresh cherries (like I did) pitting the cherries will be the most time consuming step.  I'm sure if you want to cut on time and use frozen the sherbet will turnout just as wonderful! 

Dark Cherry Sherbet
Recipe Adapted from Pioneer Woman
Servings 6

Ingredients
3 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon cherry alcohol (kirsch)
1 lemon, juiced

Preparation
Add cherries to a saucepan with sugar.  Bring to a slow boil and cook until cherries are softened and the liquid is syrupy.  Cool to room temperature.

Add cherries and cherry juice to a blender and blend until smooth.  Add milk, cream, kirsch, and lemon juice and blend quickly.  If you like pulp then directly freeze according to ice cream maskers instructions.  If you prefer it smooth pass the cherry mixture through a sieve and discard the solids before pouring into the ice cream maker.

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 24 hours before serving.