Pear Zinfandel Ice

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves to create a simple syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the fresh basil leaves to the warm simple syrup, pressing them gently to submerge, and allow them to steep and infuse their aromatic flavor into the liquid.

Strain the basil-infused syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the spent basil leaves. Allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature.

Pour the cooled basil syrup into a shallow, freezer-safe baking dish or pan, spreading it into an even layer no more than one inch deep.

Place the dish in the freezer and allow it to begin setting until ice crystals start forming around the edges, approximately 45 minutes.

Using a fork, scrape and stir the mixture vigorously, breaking up the ice crystals from the edges toward the center to create a light, flaky texture. Return the dish to the freezer.

Repeat the scraping process every 30 minutes for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, until the entire mixture consists of fine, fluffy ice crystals throughout.

Spoon the finished Pear Zinfandel Ice into chilled serving glasses and serve immediately, garnished with a small fresh basil leaf if desired.