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Italian Ice

This Italian ice recipe delivers vibrant, intense fruit flavor with a silky texture that melts on your tongue. It's naturally dairy-free, requires minimal equipment, and comes together in just a few hours.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 95
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit strawberries, lemon, raspberry, mango, or peach
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice if using non-citrus fruit
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Blender or food processor
  • Freezer-safe container with lid
  • Ice cream maker (optional)
  • Fork for manual freezing method
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Add fresh or frozen fruit and 1 tablespoon of water to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
  2. Step 2: Pour the fruit puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing gently to remove seeds and pulp.
  3. Step 3: Combine 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
  4. Step 4: Remove the syrup from heat and let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Step 5: Whisk the chilled syrup with the strained puree, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon corn syrup until smooth.
  6. Step 6: Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly.
  7. Step 7: Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn for 20 to 25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
  8. Step 8: Transfer the churned Italian ice to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
  9. Step 9: (Without ice cream maker) Freeze the mixture in a shallow dish for 2 hours, then scrape with a fork every 30 minutes for about 3 hours to break up ice crystals.

Notes

Chill your base thoroughly and use corn syrup to prevent ice crystals. Serve slightly softened for the best silky texture.