Recipe: Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries

Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries
alt.cooking-chien/Paul (peachesx)/1999

4 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest from lemons used for juice
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
1/4 cup creme de cassis or other sweet berry liqueur of choice (raspberry puree may be substituted)
1 quart fresh raspberries
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
Confectioners' sugar
8 sprigs mint

To make granita:
In medium saucepan, combine water, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a short boil over high heat, stirring to ensure sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add lemon zest and vanilla bean. Steep
until cooled to room temperature. Transfer mixture to fine sieve to strain out lemon zest and vanilla bean, although seeds from vanilla bean may remain in granita mix.

To freeze granita:
Transfer strained mixture to acid-resistant, pre-cooled freezer pan, about 9 by 2 inches. Place pan in bottom of freezer. After 30 minutes, stir ice crystals that have started to form on sides of pan into center. Repeat procedure every 15 minutes for 2 to 3 hours, or until completely frozen. Cover surface with plastic wrap.