Coffee Granita (Granita di Caffè)

Name: Coffee Granita (Granita di Caffè)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 370 min
Ingredients: 2 cups espresso or strong coffee; 1 ½ cups sugar; 1 cup heavy cream (optional)

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Coffee granita is a sweet and slushy frozen Italian dessert that's easy to make at home. Just brew your favorite espresso, add sugar and freeze away!

Two small glasses of coffee granita topped with whipped cream in front of a brown dish of more granita with two empty glasses and two demi-tasse spoons in the background.

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Coffee granita is made of just two ingredients: strong coffee and sugar. So let's bring this Sicilian treat to beat the heat into our kitchens right now.

I've based this recipe on the first granita di caffè I ever tasted at Bar Rosati on Piazza del Popolo in Rome. It was a little glass of heaven in a swanky, storied spot that epitomizes classic Roman glamour.

My version of coffee granita is intensely sweet, and that amount of sugar gives it a slushy texture, just shy of sorbet. If you prefer a flakier texture with more shards of ice, you can add more coffee and/or less sugar.

A moka pot, a glass bowl of coffee with a whisk in it, and a measuring cup of sugar.

Ingredients

Strong coffee: You can use espresso or just very strong drip coffee.
Sugar
Heavy cream (for whipped cream): We are not adding sugar to the whipped cream because the granita is already very sweet. The unsweetened cream will balance the flavors.

How to make coffee granita

Brew espresso in a moka pot or espresso machine, or make strong coffee in a regular coffee maker.

Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the sugar until completely dissolved. Allow to cool completely. (Chill overnight if desired, see tip below.)

Pour into a dish leaving at least 2 inches above the coffee so it has room to expand as it freezes.

A fork in a brown dish of granita beginning to freeze.

As crystals begin to form, remove the dish and scrape across it and around the sides with a fork, then place back in the freezer.

Slightly more frozen coffee granita in a brown dish, the mixture is becoming lightly slushy.

Continue to stir the coffee and scrape the ice crystals every 30-60 minutes.

A fork in a brown dish of finished slushy coffee granita with a fork in it. The mixture has frozen enough to hold swirls, which means it's ready to serve.

Once the granita has reached a well-frozen yet spoonable texture (like a loose sorbet) it is ready! You can leave it in the freezer until you're ready to serve. If it gets too frozen to scoop out, just leave it on the counter for 15 minutes to soften up.

Use a hand mixer or whisk to whip the cream into stiff peaks.

Transfer the granita to small serving dishes or glasses, and top with unsweetened whipped cream.

Tips

For faster freezing, chill coffee overnight in the fridge before putting it in the freezer.
Use a large, shallow container to keep the coffee in a somewhat thin layer. It will freeze faster this way. I used a 9" x 9" baking dish. Ceramic or glass dishes work better than plastic because they get very cold and speed up the freezing process.

FAQ

When should you serve coffee granita?

In Sicily, granita is often served in the afternoon when the heat of the day sets in, at the end of a meal for a light dessert, or even at breakfast time with a sweet bun called brioche col tuppo. You can serve it year-round, but it's especially refreshing in the summer.

How long does it take coffee granita to set?

The time it takes for granita to set can vary, depending on how deep or shallow the liquid is in the container, and how much sugar is in the mixture, and of course how cold your freezer is. For a flaky coffee granita, it may set within 2-4 hours, for slushier granita made with more water and less sugar, it could take longer.

Does coffee granita have caffeine?

You can make coffee granita with caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. The flavor will be delicious either way!

Try these chilled dessert ideas to cool you down when temperatures heat up!

You may not think of it, but I love some Chocolate Mousse when the weather is warm. No cooking, easy to make, and tastes great!
This Dairy Free Strawberry Milkshake is made with coconut milk "ice cream" and those fresh strawberries really make it pop!