Coffee Granita - Granita di Caffè
The first time I had one of these dreamy icy treats was at Caffè Tazza D'oro near the Pantheon in Rome. It was a hot September day and a sweet coffee granita topped with light whipped cream was the perfect thing to make everything right in the world.
Since that day I haven’t had one in Italy because I have only traveled there in the colder months but I have made them at home here and there over the years. This last week in California we had our first heat wave of the year and for some reason I got an immediate craving for it. Maybe because I’m dying to go to Italy and trying to make up for the fact that it won’t be until next spring in any way I can….I don’t know, but I made it right away! And after tasting how satisfying its sweetness is on a hot summer day I wondered to myself why I didn’t make it more often. It is so easy…so elegant and beautiful….and so so Italian!
I think an icy coffee granita is the perfect thing after a special lunch or summer dinner. Or just if you need a mid afternoon cool down on a hot day. It is way more impressive than it is difficult so I love it for entertaining! You could add a bit of coffee liqueur or other flavored liqueur to add a fun kick to it. The whipped cream is optional but I highly recommend it!
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Coffee Granita - GRAnita di Caffè
THE RECIPE - Serves approx. 6
2 Cups espresso coffee or other strong coffee
1/2 Cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Whipped cream (optional)
Add the sugar to the warm espresso and stir until dissolved, let cool.
Add in the vanilla and then pour into a freezer container. I used a glass storage container that measured about 8x10. You could use a 9x13 baking dish too or something like this.
Place in the freezer :)
There are a couple of ways to do the next step.
Freeze for about 30 min and then remove. Using a fork, scrape any ice crystals that have formed on the side or bottom of the pan. Return to freezer and repeat scraping every 20 to 30 minutes for approx. 3 to 4 hours. Once mixture is thoroughly frozen, fluff with a fork and allow flakes to dry in the freezer for another half hour or so. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy!
Freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and let sit 5-10 min. Use a fork to scrape all of the mixture and then return to the freezer for another hour if needed and repeat. Once mixture is thoroughly frozen, fluff with a fork and allow flakes to dry in the freezer for another half hour or so. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy!
The difference between the two above methods is that the top one may yield slightly finer flakes. I use the second method often just because of the time. Sometimes I even combine the two depending on how my day is going :)
TIP FOR SERVING YOUR COFFE GRANITA - Freeze your glasses before you serve the granita up. This will help it to not melt as fast. If you are serving a larger party you can fill all of your cups and then return them to the freezer (not more than a couple hours ahead), top with whipped cream when ready to serve.
