Jul 20, 2007

Italian Ice: Coffee Granita and Lemon Granita

This refreshing frozen dessert is a water-based ice sweetened with sugar and flavored with everything from fruit to coffee. In Sicily, granitas and other frozen desserts are often served with or in brioche buns.

Photo: Christopher Hirsheimer

FOR COFFEE GRANITA:
2 cups (16 oz.) freshly brewed espresso, at room
temperature
1⁄2 cup sugar

FOR LEMON GRANITA:
1 1⁄2 cups fresh lemon juice (juice of 8–9 lemons)
1⁄2 cup sugar

1. For coffee granita: Put espresso and sugar into a medium bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves completely, about 3 minutes.

2. Pour coffee mixture into a medium baking dish and transfer to the freezer. Using the tines of a fork, stir the mixture every 30 minutes, scraping edges and breaking up any chunks as the mixture freezes, until granita is slushy and frozen, about 4 hours.

3. For lemon granita: Put lemon juice, sugar, and 1 cup water into a medium bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves completely, about 3 minutes.

4. Pour lemon juice mixture into a medium baking dish and transfer to the freezer. Using the tines of a fork, stir mixture every 30 minutes, scraping edges and breaking up any chunks as the mixture freezes, until granita is slushy and frozen, about 4 hours.

5. Divide granitas into individual serving glasses or transfer into plastic containers, cover, and freeze until ready to serve or up to 4 days.

SERVES 4 – 6