Coffee Granita

Coffee granita is a delicious typical Sicilian preparation, perfect for cooling off on hot days. Here’s how you can prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 ml of strong espresso coffee
• 100 g of sugar
• Water (about 250 ml)
• Fresh whipped cream (optional)
• Grated dark chocolate (optional)

Preparation

1. Prepare the espresso coffee and let it cool completely.
2. Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water to make a simple syrup. Mix the sugar syrup with the cooled coffee.
3. Pour the mixture into a wide and low container, preferably metal, and place it in the freezer.
4. Wait for it to start crystallizing on the edges, then every 30 minutes scrape the formed ice with a fork, in order to create the typical “granular” consistency.
5. Repeat the scraping process every half hour until you obtain a uniformly granular mixture.
6. When serving, distribute the granita into glasses or cups. If desired, you can add a bit of fresh whipped cream and a dusting of grated dark chocolate.

For an even more Italian touch, you can pair your granita with a “brioscia col tuppo”, a soft sweet bun typical of Sicily which together with the granita makes up a traditional breakfast of the island, especially during the summer.

Remember that the key to a perfect granita is patience in scraping the ice to obtain that unique consistency that characterizes it. Enjoy preparing and bon appétit!