Lemon Granita

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 10 sprigs lemon balm
• 12 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 fresh lemon rind, finely grated
• 14 cup lemon-flavored vodka
• 10 whole lemons (for shells)
• almond extract

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and 5 sprigs of the lemon balm to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Discard the lemon balm and cool the syrup over a bowl of ice water until cold.
3. Whisk together the syrup, lemon juice, lemon rind, and vodka in a metal bowl and place in the freezer.
4. Whisk the mixture every 30 minutes until frozen, about 2-3 hours .
5. Remove any ink on the lemons by rubbing with almond extract.
6. Cut 1/4 from the stem of each lemon.
7. Using a grapefruit knife, cut between the pulp and the pith, the remove the pulp with a grapefruit spoon, scraping the shell clean.
8. Using a teaspoon, mound each lemon with granita.
9. Keep in the freezer until they are ready to serve.
10. Remove from the freezer, garnish each with half a sprig of lemon balm, and serve immediately.

water, sugar, lemon balm, lemon juice, lemon rind, lemonflavored vodka, lemons, almond

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/lemon-granita-9256 (may not work)