LEMON ICE

A family friendly recipe

 

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar (or a sugar substitute that will dissolve)

¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (use fresh lemons, not bottled juice which could result in bitterness); approximately 3 lemons. Or substitute one orange for one of the lemons.

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (avoid the bitter white pith)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium size sauce pan. Remove from heat.

2. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the sugar water to cool to room temperature.

3. Add ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest.

4. Pour the lemon water mixture into an 8” x 8” baking dish. Place the dish in the freezer.

5. Remove the dish from the freezer. Gently stir the mixture. Return to the freezer. Repeat this step every 30 minutes or so until the lemon mixture is crystallized and smooth but not frozen sold. This will take approximately 3 hours.

6. When you can no longer stir the mixture, scrape it with a fork as it continues to freeze to the desired consistency (you decide).

7. Scoop the lemon ice into small cups (½ cup per serving), and serve immediately.

 

Optional garnishes: mint leafs, fresh raspberries or raspberry sauce, chocolate shavings, a compatible liqueur like Cointreau.

 

Store the left over lemon ice in the freezer. If it is frozen solid when you would like to serve it, move it to the refrigerator until it is soft enough to scoop. Or, break the ice into chunks, place it in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.