Espresso and frangelico granita
A little while back now, I came across a recipe and accompanying photos for a lime flavoured granita, and it looked so mouth-wateringly tasty and refreshing that I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making my own ever since.
Granita, also known as granita siciliana, is a semi-frozen icy dessert somewhat similar to sorbet and gelato. As its name suggests it’s originally from Sicily, although can be found elsewhere in Italy in a multitude of flavours.
Apparently it’s the texture that sets granita apart from the likes of sorbet and gelato (and unlike gelato, it’s also dairy free).
As a friend of mine recently re-acquainted me with Frangelico, a delicious hazelnut liqueur, I thought it would be fun to add a twist to the traditional espresso granita, by adding some Frangelico to the mix.
It’s extremely simple to make, not to mention a definite crowd pleaser, and can be served either as a refreshing treat on a hot day, or as a dessert all year round (although it naturally lends itself to warmer weather).
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups freshly brewed espresso coffee, cooled
- 1/3 cup Frangelico liqueur
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Stir the syrup mixture over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat. Once the syrup mixture has cooled, add the Frangelico and coffee.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish.
- Cover with cling film and place in the freezer. Leave for approx. 2 hrs, or until ice starts to form around the edges.
- With a fork, scrape the mixture, breaking up the ice that’s forming into small shavings. Repeat every 45 minutes until all the mixture is frozen and broken into shavings (approx. 4 hrs).
- Return to freezer and leave until ready to serve.
- I like to serve this straight up, on its own, however it would definitely work well accompanied with thickened or whipped cream.
- I used a baking dish which is 33cm x 23 cm. The exact dimensions or type of container aren’t too important, just keep in mind that the syrup freezes quicker and is easier to break up the shallower it is.