Strawberry Granita

Instructions

• Measure the sugar and water into a small saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Timing from the moment the mixture begins to boil, let the sugar/water cook for exactly 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.

• Meanwhile, have your helper wash and hull the strawberries and push the buttons to puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth. This, by the way, is a perfect use for those mutant berries you may find in your basket - if your child can possibly bring himself to part with them. Stir in the lemon juice and the cooled sugar syrup. Pour the mixture into a metal 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan and put into the freezer.

• After about 30 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and stir the mixture to break up the ice particles, scraping the edges of the pan into the middle. Repeat this about every 30 minutes for 3 to 4 hours, until the granita is frozen to a snowy slush. This is a great job for kids - but no snowballs please.

• This mixture can also be frozen in an ice-cream maker, if you own such a thing, in which case the resulting ice will be smoother.