Active Time

　　20 minutes

　　Total Time

　　4 1/2 hours

　　The vitamin C used in this recipe prevents the apple juice from browning.

　　

Ingredients

4 1/2 lb Granny Smith apples

　　1 (500-mg) tablet vitamin C, crushed

　　1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

　　1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

　　Special equipment: a juicer (optional; see cooks' note, below)

　　

Step 1

Slice apples and process enough slices in juicer, skimming and discarding any foam, to measure 3 1/2 cups juice, then transfer juice to a large bowl and stir in vitamin C and lemon juice. Process ginger in juicer, then stir 1 tablespoon ginger juice into apple juice.

　　

Step 2

Pulse together sugar and basil in a blender until sugar is bright green and basil is finely ground, then stir into apple juice until sugar is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8- to 9-inch metal baking pan.

　　

Step 3

Freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every hour, until evenly frozen, 3 to 4 hours. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　·Granita is best served the day it is made, but it will keep, covered and frozen, 3 days (rescrape to lighten texture again if necessary).

　　·If you don't have a juicer, you can still make this granita, though it will be the color of sparkling cider and the flavor won't be as crisp. Substitute 3 1/2 cups sparkling cider (nonalcoholic) for homemade apple juice and reduce sugar to 1/4 cup. Juice ginger by finely grating, then forcing pulp through a fine-mesh sieve to squeeze out juice.