BlueBerry Granita

I had some blueberries in my refrigerator and wanted to create a dish with them before they go bad.  I am surprised they were still inside of my fridge.  If you live in my household no type of fruit last more than a day in my house.  My kids love and fight each other over fruits. 

I decided to create a refreshing dish that did not involve baking, just a blender and a freezer.  This recipe has a sweet essence of the blueberry and lemon, which makes a great combination.   If you never had a granita it’s an Italian semi-frozen dessert, originated in Sicily.  It’s similar to a sorbet or Italian Ice with a coarse and flaky texture made from sugar, and fruit flavorings.   There are also variants with coffee that I have seen.  The trick with granita is during the freezing process, in intervals you have to continually scrape the mixture with a fork, resulting in small ice crystals.

Blueberry Granita

Ingredients

3 cups fresh blueberries, washed and sorted

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions
1. Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely.

2. Combine blueberries and lemon juice in blender pulse until smooth.

3.  Pour the syrup (make sure it's cooled) into the strawberry and lemon mixture and blend to combine.

4.  Pour the mixture through strainer into an 8-inch or 9 x 13 metal pan to remove any solid bits.  Freeze for 3-4 hours, scraping the mixture with a fork every 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Serve immediately with mint. Enjoy!