Ina Garten Coffee Granita

Ina Garten coffee granita turns strong brewed coffee, sugar and a splash of coffee liqueur into an icy, crystalline dessert in 3 hours. Save this easy make ahead dessert for dinner parties, summer nights or holiday meals, because it needs only a handful of ingredients and a fork.

Rake the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes as it freezes, because that breaks up the ice into light, fluffy crystals. Skip the raking and you end up with one solid block of coffee ice.

Ina Garten took the classic Italian ice, usually made with water, sugar and fruit juice or wine, and built it on coffee and coffee liqueur instead. She finishes each glass with a big dollop of whipped cream, which turns a simple ice into a real dessert from her book Make It Ahead (2014).

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Coffee Granita

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

140

kcal

Strong sweet coffee freezes into soft, snowy crystals that melt on the tongue. Raking it with a fork a few times keeps the texture granular instead of solid.

Ingredients

• 3 cups strong, hot brewed coffee, regular or decaf (see note)
  

• 3/4 cup sugar
  

• 2 teaspoons coffee liqueur, such as Tia Maria
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• Make-Ahead Whipped Cream
  

Directions

• Mix the coffee base: Combine 3 cups strong hot brewed coffee, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons coffee liqueur and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Start the freezing: Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch pan and place it in the freezer for 1 hour. It's ready for the next step when the edges turn slushy.
• Rake the crystals: Rake the mixture with a dinner fork to break up the crystals, then slide the pan back into the freezer. Repeat every 30 minutes until it is completely frozen and granular throughout.
• Wrap and hold: Wrap the pan well and keep it frozen for a few hours, until you are ready to serve. That wait lets the texture set up evenly.
• Serve with cream: Spoon the granita into bowls or stemmed glasses, such as martini glasses. Then top each one with a dollop of Make-Ahead Whipped Cream and serve right away.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, ThermoPro digital kitchen timer, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How far ahead can I make coffee granita?

It keeps in the freezer for up to 3 hours after it's fully frozen, so it's best made the same day you serve it. Past that point it starts to harden into a solid block, which is harder to scoop.

Can I make this without the coffee liqueur?

You can leave it out, since it only adds 2 teaspoons of flavor. The granita will taste a little less rounded but still strongly of coffee.

Can I use decaf coffee?

Yes, regular or decaf both work in this granita. Just make sure it's brewed strong, because freezing dulls the flavor.

How do I brew coffee strong enough?

Use 4 cups of water, measured in a measuring cup rather than by the coffeemaker's markings, with 1/2 cup of ground coffee. That ratio gives you the strength the granita needs once it's frozen.

What's the most common mistake with granita?

Using a pan that isn't flat on the bottom is a big one, because the mixture freezes unevenly. Forgetting to rake it every 30 minutes is the other, and it leaves you with a solid slab instead of fluffy crystals.