Coffee granita is a cool and refreshing dessert that you can easily prepare at home. It's perfect for a hot summer day and can be a delightful treat after a meal with friends.
Adding a bit of whipped cream makes it even more delicious, turning it into a sweet and refreshing break in the middle of a warm afternoon.
This dessert is both fresh and flavorful, making it an excellent choice when you're craving something sweet but also want to stay cool. Coffee granita is particularly popular during the summer months, as it combines the invigorating taste of coffee with the icy freshness of granita.
Granita is a beloved summer dessert, much like Italian ice cream. It's made from crushed ice, which gives it a unique grainy texture. The basic recipe is simple, requiring only water, sugar, and a flavoring—in this case, coffee.
In Sicily, coffee granita is a favorite, often enjoyed in place of a cup of espresso after lunch during the summer. To make it at home, start by dissolving sugar in boiling water. Then, add the coffee and pour the mixture into a container to freeze. Every 30 minutes, take it out and stir it with a fork to break up the ice crystals and achieve the perfect crushed ice consistency. After about 3 hours, your granita will be ready to enjoy.
Topped with whipped cream, coffee granita is a classic Italian treat that's perfect for hot days. Give this sweet, energizing, and refreshing dessert a try, and you're sure to love it!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 15 Min
- Cook Time: 5 Min
- Freezing Time: 3 Hours
- Servings: 4
- 250 ml (1 cup) of espresso
- 250 ml (1 cup) of water
- 80 g (~4 tablespoons) of granulated sugar
- whipping cream to taste
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Of course, to make a good Granita al Caffè you need to make an excellent Italian coffee.
- You need a good Espresso machine with single-dose capsules. Or the traditional - and always loved in Italy - Italian moka, ("Caffettiera" as we call it) .
- So have a look to these traditional Italian style Espresso cups for small Granita al Caffè after dinner.
- Glasses or mugs, better if transparent, for a bigger and more substantial granita with whipped cream, a real dessert.
- Finally, you will need an electric whisk to whip the cream and pastry pockets to arrange it more neatly. However you can also put the whipped cream in with a spoon of course!
Instructions
Step 1) - First, make some coffee using either an espresso machine or a traditional Italian Moka pot. Once it's ready, set it aside for now.
Step 2) - Next, take a saucepan and pour some water into it. Add sugar to the water and place the saucepan on the stove. Heat the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid becomes clear. This might take a few minutes, so be patient and keep stirring occasionally.
Step 3) - Now, take the coffee you prepared earlier and pour it into the sugar syrup. Stir everything together really well so the coffee and syrup are fully mixed. Allow this mixture to cool down to room temperature.
Step 4) - Once the coffee syrup is cool, pour it into a shallow, wide glass container. This will help it freeze more evenly. Place the container in the freezer.
Let the mixture freeze for about three hours. Every 30 minutes, take the container out of the freezer and use a fork to break up the ice that forms. This will help you get a texture similar to crushed ice, which is what we're aiming for.
Step 5) - While the mixture is freezing, you can prepare the whipped cream. Whip the cream until it’s nice and fluffy, then put it into a pastry bag. This will make it easy to add a nice topping later.
After about three hours, or once the mixture has the right icy consistency, it’s ready to serve. Spoon the granita into individual glasses or cups. Top each serving with a generous amount of whipped cream from the pastry bag. Serve the delicious coffee granita immediately and enjoy!
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Storage
It is best to make the coffee granita and enjoy it right away. However, if you want to save some for later, you can keep it in the freezer for up to one month.
When you're ready to have the granita, you should take it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator until it starts to soften. As it thaws, use a fork to stir it now and then. This will help it regain the perfect texture, making it just as delicious as when it was freshly made.
Tips and Variations
For the best experience, serve coffee granita in a chilled glass or cup. To keep it from melting too quickly, place the glasses in the freezer about an hour before serving.
You can get creative with garnishes. Try topping your coffee granita with chocolate-covered coffee beans, a sprinkle of cocoa powder, or a pinch of cinnamon. For added flavor, accompany the granita with whipped cream and a few crumbled cookies or some chopped pistachios.
Feel free to adjust the sugar to your liking, but it’s best to keep it between 80 and 120 grams. If you prefer a stronger coffee flavor, add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the mixture.
Granita vs Sorbetto
Granita and sorbetto are quite similar, but there are some differences. Unlike Italian gelato, both granita and sorbetto are not milk-based and don’t contain cream. Sorbetto typically has a softer, creamier texture without large ice crystals, and can even be made in an ice cream machine. The main ingredient in sorbetto is often fruit puree, which makes up at least 20% of the mixture, sometimes even more.
Granita, on the other hand, is made with ice water and has larger, more granular ice crystals. The difference between the two is mostly a matter of texture and personal preference.
Coffee Granita in Sicilian Tradition
Granita is a beloved dessert in eastern Sicily, especially during the summer. It’s a popular choice for breakfast among both locals and tourists. In Sicily, enjoying a granita at any time of day is a common sight.
Among the different flavors, coffee granita stands out along with almond and mulberry granita. In some Sicilian bars, coffee granita is made with just coffee, without syrup, giving it an intense flavor that is often paired with almond milk granita or sweetened with a dollop of whipped cream.
Sicilians often enjoy coffee granita for breakfast, pairing it with the traditional Brioches with Tuppo, making it a true culinary experience.
Recipe Card
Coffee Granita (Granita al Caffè con Panna)
Ingredients
- 250 ml espresso 1 cup
- 250 ml water 1 cup
- 80 g granulated sugar ~4 tablespoons
- whipping cream to taste
Instructions
- First, make some coffee using either an espresso machine or a traditional Italian Moka pot. Once it's ready, set it aside for now.
- Next, take a saucepan and pour some water into it. Add sugar to the water and place the saucepan on the stove.
- Heat the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid becomes clear. This might take a few minutes, so be patient and keep stirring occasionally.
- Now, take the coffee you prepared earlier and pour it into the sugar syrup. Stir everything together really well so the coffee and syrup are fully mixed. Allow this mixture to cool down to room temperature.
- Once the coffee syrup is cool, pour it into a shallow, wide glass container. This will help it freeze more evenly. Place the container in the freezer.
- Let the mixture freeze for about three hours. Every 30 minutes, take the container out of the freezer and use a fork to break up the ice that forms. This will help you get a texture similar to crushed ice, which is what we're aiming for.
- While the mixture is freezing, you can prepare the whipped cream. Whip the cream until it’s nice and fluffy, then put it into a pastry bag. This will make it easy to add a nice topping later.
- After about three hours, or once the mixture has the right icy consistency, it’s ready to serve. Spoon the granita into individual glasses or cups. Top each serving with a generous amount of whipped cream from the pastry bag. Serve the delicious coffee granita immediately and enjoy!
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