Coffee Granita

Since it has been so hot I’ve curtailed my caffeine intake, and now am suffering from heat stroke and withdrawal. I must do something about this. Maybe a Cafe au Lait with lots and lost of ice. This really is a simple recipe, heavy on milk to sooth stomachs, and COLD …. But WAIT… I have a brand new ice cream machine, and reading the directions it has a gelato / sorbet blade. Time for a sugar and caffeine laden frozen drink to make the local barista’s blush.

ONE NOTE: This is a mid-afternoon treat, or maybe an after dinner desert, it is NOT and before bed treat. (unless you use decaf, but where the fun in that)

Granita is often found served as a slush-type drink rather than a dessert, in a paper or plastic cup with a plastic lid and a straw (often a spoon straw)

Wikipedia says:

Granita (in Italian also granita siciliana) is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. Originally from Sicily, although available all over Italy (but granita in Sicily is somewhat different from the rest of Italy), it is related to sorbet and italian ice. However, in most of Sicily, it has a coarser, more crystalline texture. Food writer Jeffrey Steingarten says that “the desired texture seems to vary from city to city” on the island; on the west coast and in Palermo, it is at its chunkiest, and in the east it is nearly as smooth as sorbet. This is largely the result of different freezing techniques: the smoother types are produced in a gelato machine, while the coarser varieties are frozen with only occasional agitation, then scraped or shaved to produce separated crystals.

Common and traditional flavoring ingredients include lemon juice, mandarin oranges, jasmine, coffee, almonds, mint, and when in season wild strawberries and black mulberries. Chocolate granitas have a tradition in the city of Catania and, according to Steingarten, nowhere else in Sicily. The nuances of the Sicilian ingredients are important to the flavor of the finished granita: Sicilian lemons are a less acidic, more floral variety similar to Meyer lemons, while the almonds used contain some number of bitter almonds, crucial to the signature almond flavor.

Start with a pot of coffee, brewed strong, or as my father would say, “Black as sin, and Hot as hell.” I’ll take that 10 cups of coffee sweeten to taste and chill it. Then I’ll turn 5 cups of the coffee with 2 cups of milk, and a dash of vanilla.

Preparation

1. Add all to churn / ice cream machine
2. Turn until frozen
3. Harden in freezer

Note: One can also add various cream toppings, liquors or syrups to add flavors / kick.