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Homemade Rainbow Italian Ice

A nostalgic, incredibly refreshing, three-layered summer treat featuring bright cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry flavors, made completely from scratch without an ice cream machine.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 6 cups
Course: Dessert, Frozen Treat, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Simple Syrup Base
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • 2 cups granulated white sugar
  • 3 tbsp light corn syrup prevents crystallization
Flavors and Colors
  • 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice for yellow layer
  • 1 tsp cherry extract or unsweetened cherry drink mix packet
  • 1 tsp blue raspberry extract or unsweetened blue raspberry drink mix packet
  • 1-2 drops red food coloring gel preferred
  • 1-2 drops yellow food coloring gel preferred
  • 1-2 drops blue food coloring gel preferred

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • 3 shallow freezer-safe pans (9x9)
  • Sturdy metal fork
  • Ice Cream Scoop
  • Clear plastic cups

Method
 

  1. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, and light corn syrup. Heat over medium-high, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Divide the cooled syrup equally into three separate bowls (about 2 cups per bowl).
  3. To the first bowl, add fresh lemon juice and yellow food coloring. Whisk and pour into a shallow freezer pan.
  4. To the second bowl, add cherry extract and red food coloring. Whisk and pour into a second shallow freezer pan.
  5. To the third bowl, add blue raspberry extract and blue food coloring. Whisk and pour into a third shallow freezer pan.
  6. Place all three pans in the freezer for 45 minutes.
  7. Remove pans and use a sturdy fork to aggressively scrape the frozen edges into the liquid center. Return to the freezer.
  8. Repeat the scraping process every 30-45 minutes for 3 to 4 hours until the ice is completely frozen, fluffy, and scoopable.
  9. To serve, layer a scoop of red, then yellow, then blue into a clear plastic cup. Top with a large swirled scoop containing all three colors. Serve immediately.

Notes

If the ice freezes completely solid because you forgot to scrape it, simply break it into chunks and run it through a food processor until it becomes a smooth, fluffy snow.