Blueberries, one of my favourite fruits, are cheap and plentiful at the moment, so this weekend , I made a blueberry and lemon granita. Granitas are such quick and easy desserts to make in the warmer months. Simply make a sugar syrup and mix it with a purée of your fruit of choice. The granita looks pretty served in a glass with fruit on the side.
Native wild blueberries have grown in the thin, acidic, glacial soils of Maine and Canada for thousands of years, where they thrive in the cold, harsh climates. The Northeast Native American tribes gathered the blueberries from forests and bogs, and ate them both fresh and preserved. The blossom end of each berry, the calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star. The fruit, leaves and roots were used for medicinal purposes. Tea made from the leaves was believed to be good for the blood. The juice was used to treat coughs, as well as a dye for baskets and cloth. Dried blueberries were added to stews, soups and meats, as well as crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat for flavour. http://www.foodreference.com/html/a-blueberry-history.html No wonder they’re known as as super food!
Did you know that that are more than 150 varieties of blueberries worldwide? However, not all are edible. Three varieties of blueberries are grown in Australia: northern highbush, southern highbush and rabbiteye https://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/industries/blueberries/
You might like to make this granita when nectarines are in season: https://atamandastable.com.au/nectarine-granita/
Best wishes,
Amanda
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Blueberry and Lemon Granita
Ingredients
- 2 punnets blueberries, washed and drained (250 g)
- 1/2 large lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- extra blueberries and lemon, to serve
Instructions
- Stir the sugar into the water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice.
- Purée the blueberries in a blender or a food processor.
- Stir the sugar syrup into the blueberry purée and pour the mixture into a shallow baking tray or lamington tin. Cover with foil and freeze.
- After an hour, take out the granita and flake it with a fork. Repeat the process a couple of times. Take the granita out of the freezer about 10 minutes before serving and flake it again with a fork. Serve the granita in bowls or glasses and top with fruit if you wish.
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