Italian Espresso Granita Recipes

Steps:

• For the espresso granita: Whisk the sugar into the hot espresso until dissolved. Stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture in to a 9-by-13-inch freezer-safe pan and freeze until the mixture is frozen through, at least 3 hours and up to overnight. When ready to serve, scrape the surface into large, icy flakes.
• For the soft whipped cream: Place a 16-ounce glass jar with a lid in the freezer for 20 minutes. Pour in the cold cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla and shake vigorously until soft whipped cream forms, about 5 minutes.
• To serve: Spoon some of the granita into a glass. Top with a dollop of soft whipped cream and sprinkle on chocolate shavings and crushed espresso beans.

Steps:

• Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; simmer until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat; add coffee and vanilla extract. Pour into a metal bowl and mix well. Cool granita mixture to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Freeze for 1 hour.
• Stir the granita vigorously to break up ice crystals. Repeat freezing and breaking up process 4 to 5 more times, 2 to 2 1/2 hours total.
• Drop spoonfuls of whipped cream into 4 short glasses. Divide granita mixture evenly among the glasses. Top with remaining whipped cream.

Steps:

• Place espresso in a medium heat-proof bowl, and pour the hot water over it. Let stand to extract as much flavor as possible without becoming bitter, about 30 minutes. The brew should be very strong; it will be diluted with the simple syrup.
• Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a deep-sided 9-by-12-inch metal baking pan, and discard espresso grounds. Add simple syrup, and stir until it is well combined. Place in the freezer, uncovered, until mixture is nearly set, at least 4 hours, whisking it every hour.
• Remove mixture from freezer, and scrape surface with the tines of a fork until it is the texture of shaved ice. (If necessary, the mixture can be frozen overnight without whisking; remove it from freezer in the morning, and let sit at room temperature about 10 minutes to allow it to soften before scraping.) Serve.

Steps:

• In a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish, carefully pour in hot espresso and whisk in granulated sugar until dissolved completely. Place dish in freezer and every hour, scrape the mixture with a large fork to create the granita texture. The granita will need approximately five hours to completely freeze. The first time you scrape, the granita will not be frozen solid. You want to start scraping while it's still slushy so that texture of the granita will be even throughout.
• Right before serving, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks. Add the vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks.
• Line up 12 glass Champagne flutes. Place 1 tablespoon of granita in the bottom of each glass. Using a different spoon, spread a layer of whipped cream. Continue layering the granita and whipped cream, ending with the whipped cream. Sprinkle chocolate over the top of each glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir together the coffee, sugar, vanilla and salt until the sugar dissolves. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and use a fork to scrape any of the ice that has formed.
• Return to the freezer for another 2 hours, then repeat the scraping. If the granita is still not frozen, return to the freezer again and repeat the scraping. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top or drowned with 1/2 ounce of limoncello.

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put espresso and sugar into a medium glass bowl; stir until sugar has dissolved. Set in ice-water bath; stir until cooled.
• Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish; place in freezer. Chill until mixture begins to solidify, about 45 minutes. Remove from freezer; stir with a fork until mixture begins to break up. Freeze, scraping with fork every 30 minutes, until completely frozen and fine crystals form, about 2 hours total.
• Whisk cream in a chilled medium bowl until soft peaks form. Divide granita among serving glasses or bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream; sprinkle with ground espresso.

Steps:

• Mix the warm espresso with the sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Freeze according to the instructions for freezing granita on page 145.

Steps:

• Reserving 1 teaspoon ground espresso for garnish, brew 2 cups of espresso. Add sugar to the hot espresso, and stir to dissolve.
• Prepare an ice bath. Place espresso mixture in a heat-proof glass bowl, and set in the ice bath, stirring until mixture becomes very cold.
• Transfer espresso mixture to a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex baking dish, and place in freezer. Let stand until ice crystals start to form around the edges, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from freezer. Using the tines of a fork, stir the ice crystals into the center. Return dish to freezer. Stir the ice crystals every 30 minutes until all the liquid has frozen into soft, fine crystals, about 2 hours.
• Place whipping cream in a chilled bowl, and whip until soft peaks form. Divide granita among four glasses or serving bowls. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream, and sprinkle remaining teaspoon ground espresso over tops. Serve immediately.