Lemonade is good. Hard lemonade is great. Frozen hard lemonade--well, that’s just wonderful. In this recipe, we make our own from scratch (or you can use the store-bought stuff if you’re already in vacation mode), stir in a little booze, then freeze it. When it’s good and icy, we scrape it with a fork and serve it in hollowed-out lemons (or bowls, because… vacation mode).

Boozy Lemonade Granita

Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Time: Start to Finish: 6 hours (includes freezing time)

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (or skip this and the above and use 3 cups prepared lemonade)

½ cup vodka or gin

Directions:

1. In a small pot, combine the water with the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid reduces slightly and makes a thick syrup, 5 to 6 minutes (the sugar should be fully dissolved). Cool to room temperature.

3. Combine the cooled syrup with the lemon juice. Stir in the vodka or gin. Transfer the mixture to a medium-size shallow baking dish (like a cake pan or a casserole dish). Transfer to the freezer and freeze until solid, at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

4. Once the mixture is frozen, scrape it with a fork to create small icy pieces. Spoon the granita into serving vessels and serve immediately. (To make our lemon dishes, see below.)

Note: To make a lemon serving dish, cut the top and bottom off a lemon to create flat surfaces. On the top, run a paring knife around the edge of the flesh to loosen it from the pith. Use a spoon to scoop out the inside. Bonus: You can use the lemon juice to make the lemonade, if you wish.