Granita di Caffè
Coffee frozen and scraped into loose crystals, eaten with a brioche for breakfast in a Sicilian summer. No machine required.
Photograph credit: Granita Caffè e Panna. by Rosario Messina · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Photograph credit: Granita di caffè con panna. E non dico altro! #latergram by chrisssss · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Method
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Bring the water and sugar to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then take it off the heat.
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Stir in the ground coffee and the salt and leave it to infuse 10 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve lined with a cloth. If using espresso, stir it into the hot syrup instead.
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Cool the sweetened coffee completely, 30 minutes.
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Pour it into a shallow metal tray to a depth of about 2 cm.
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Freeze 4 hours, dragging a fork through it every 30 minutes to break up the crystals as they form.
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Scrape it into loose glassy flakes and spoon into cold glasses.
Chef’s Tips
- A metal tray. Plastic freezes too slowly and too unevenly.
- Every half hour with the fork, without fail.
- Sweeter than you would drink it. Cold hides sugar.
Pairing Suggestions
- A brioche col tuppo
- Whipped cream on top
- Breakfast in August
Storage & Reheating
In the freezer for 1 week. Scrape again with a fork before serving.
Common questions
How long does Granita di Caffè take to make?
About 25 minutes of hands-on work — 15 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking — plus 4 hours 30 minutes of cooling the coffee and freezing the granita, so allow 4 hours 55 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Granita di Caffè?
A metal tray. Plastic freezes too slowly and too unevenly. Every half hour with the fork, without fail. Sweeter than you would drink it. Cold hides sugar.
What should I serve with Granita di Caffè?
A brioche col tuppo; Whipped cream on top; Breakfast in August.
Can Granita di Caffè be made ahead or frozen?
In the freezer for 1 week. Scrape again with a fork before serving.
Is Granita di Caffè suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Granita di Caffè?
About 105 kcal per serving, with 0 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate and 0 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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