Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Dish · From Bladwijzer
Birch sap and lemon granita
- Makes: serves 4
- Time: 15 min + 3–4 hrs freezing
- From: Downy birch
Ingredients
- 500 ml fresh birch sap
- 120 g sugar
- juice of 1 lemon
- a few mint leaves to serve (optional)
Method
- Strain the fresh sap through a fine cloth. Use it within 24 hours.
- Warm 200 ml of the sap with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved completely. Leave to cool.
- Mix with the rest of the sap and the lemon juice. Pour into a shallow, freezer-proof dish, about 3 cm deep.
- Freeze for 1 hr. Then use a fork to rake the frozen crust from the edges towards the middle.
- Repeat every 30 min for 2–3 hrs, until you have light, fluffy ice crystals.
- Spoon the granita into chilled glasses and top with mint leaves. Serve straight away.
Storing: Best on the day. In a closed container in the freezer for 1 week; scrape it loose again with a fork before serving. If you are allergic to birch pollen, better leave it alone.