Strawberry Lime Granita - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 lbs strawberries, rinsed, hulled and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4-6 limes)
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (optional)
mint leaf, for garnish
lime wedge, for garnish (slices)

Preparation

Make a simple syrup the night before, or up to a week ahead of time.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium high heat; add the sugar and stir to dissolve, about 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to low and cook another 5 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.
Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
About 3 to 4 hours before you will serve the granita, chill a 13x9 inch metal baking pan in the freezer.
Combine the strawberries and lime juice in a blender; puree on high speed.
Reduce speed to low setting and add the simple syrup.
Blend for a few seconds just to incorporate.
Take the chilled pan from the freezer and pour in the fruit mixture; return to freezer, uncovered.
After an hour, the mixture should have just begun to set in the middle.
Using a fork, break up the crystals and swirl around until you have a wide pile of mush in the center of the pan.
Freeze for two more hours, breaking up the crystals once or twice.
To serve: remove pan from freezer and let stand several minutes, if frozen solid.
Use a fork to break up mixture, then scoop, with a spoon, large mounds into serving dishes or martini glasses.
Drizzle a heaping teaspoon of condensed milk over each portion and a squeeze of lime, if desired.
Garnish with mint sprig and wedge of lime.