Nothing beats the heat on a hot summer day like a frozen dessert and one of the most convenient for the occasion is a Granita. Similar to Italian ice, this confection simply consists of some flavoring (puree, juice, tea, coffee, wine, etc) frozen in a pan, scraped up and served as loose ice crystals. It sounds simple, and it really is, but that doesn't mean confectioners should pass up the opportunity to make things a little more complex and fun.
In fact, the simplicity of a Granita just opens up the door for experimentation and today's recipe is a fine example.
It takes a simple coffee flavored base and throws some rum into the mix. Although this combination of flavors isn't all that original especially when used for confections, it's guaranteed to make a regular Granita on a hot summer day feel all the more special. And if that's not enough, this recipe will include some interesting variations taking things to an even higher level.
The recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups brewed coffee
- 4 oz granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp rum
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Bittersweet chocolate shavings as needed (optional)
Directions:
- Pour the water into a large kettle and bring to a boil. Transfer to a large bowl and steep the ground coffee for a few minutes. Strain over another bowl and set aside to cool.
- Combine the brewed coffee with all of the other ingredients the bowl.
- Pour the coffee/rum mixture into a shallow stainless steel pan and freeze for 3 hours or until the liquid starts to harden. N.B: Granita can also be frozen overnight to be served the next day.
- When it's time to serve, scrape the surface of the frozen Granita with a fork to loosen the ice crystals and scoop into serving dishes with a spoon or ice cream scoop. Whip the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until it reaches soft peaks. Spoon a tablespoon of the whipped heavy cream on top of each Granita and garnish with the bittersweet chocolate shavings.
Serves: 6
Variations
- Granita De Caffe - Substitute espresso for the coffee.
- Rum Latte - Substitute steamed milk for the boiled water. Substitute the coffee for espresso.
- Cappuccino - Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon in Step 1.
- Calypso - Add 1 teaspoon of Tia Maria or Kahlúa liqueur in Step 2.
- Coconut - Substitute coconut rum for the regular rum. Substitute toasted coconut for the chocolate shavings.
- Jamaican - Substitute dark rum for the regular rum. Add 1/2 teaspoon of allspice in Step 2.