Shiso-Lime Granita with Ice Cream and Condensed Milk

Perfect for a lovely summer afternoon or evening. This shiso-lime granita is fresh, slightly spicy, and wonderfully refreshing in warm weather. Served with creamy vanilla ice cream, red berries, mint, and a splash of condensed milk, it makes for a simple yet special dessert: as refreshing as shaved ice, as creamy as an ice cream sundae, and with a unique twist thanks to the flavor of Japanese shiso. See the bottom of the page for a tutorial video!

Ingredients and supplies

Granita 

• 200 ml shiso syrup
• 200 ml cold water
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice (or more, to taste)
• the zest of 1–2 limes
• a very small pinch of fine salt
• a shallow, wide container that fits in the freezer (if your freezer isn't very big, you can divide the mixture among several shallow containers)

Formatting

• about 500 grams of vanilla ice cream (or another flavor of your choice), (3 scoops per person)
• about 200 grams of red berries such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries (a handful per person)
• 3 tablespoons of condensed milk
• a handful of mint leaves

Preparation

1. Start with the granita. Mix the shiso syrup with the cold water. Add the lime juice, lime zest, and a very small pinch of salt. Stir well and taste the mixture. It should taste slightly sweeter and more tart than you ultimately want it to, because the flavor will mellow slightly after freezing. Pour the mixture into a shallow, wide container and place it in the freezer.
2. After about 45 minutes, the mixture will start to freeze a little. Scrape it loose with a fork and stir the ice cream mixture until light and fluffy. Put the container back in the freezer and repeat this every 30–45 minutes until you have a light, icy texture. This usually takes 3–4 hours.
3. Wash the fruit gently. Cut any large pieces into smaller pieces.
4. Scoop about 3 scoops of ice cream per person into a bowl or deep plate. Top with a generous amount of the shiso-lime granita. Add a handful of red berries and drizzle some condensed milk over the top. Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately.

Tips

Would you like to bring out the shiso flavor a little more? Then add just a tiny bit more right before serving shiso syrup or Shiso Delight About the granita. Don't use too much: the granita itself is already very flavorful, and the condensed milk also makes the dessert sweeter.

Of course, you can always use fresh shiso leaves Add!