Love Caffeine AND Slushies? The Espresso Granita Is for You

We could wax poetic on the joys of iced coffee all summer long. But there’s one omnipresent issue that we’ve merely breezed over.

Melty ice.

It might seem like a small complaint. Unnecessarily picky, even, to make a fuss about it. But as coffee aficionados know all too well, melting ice waters down a perfect brew. Though coffee ice cubes help, they can still mess with the milk-to-coffee ratio.

Enter the espresso granita. We’ve warmed up to the Italian slushy treat this summer (see: White Tea-Lemonade Granita) because it’s so flavorful and refreshing.

No watered-down beverages here. It’s all rich, smooth, strong espresso so cold, it’s frozen. Top it off with a bit of almond milk or coconut creamer for an elegant afternoon pick-me-up inspired by summers in Sicily—and free of superfluous ice cubes.

Espresso Granita

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours

Ingredients

2 cups hot espresso
½ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk, cream, or nondairy creamer, to serve

Whisk together hot espresso, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Pour mixture into an 8”x8” brownie pan. Freeze 30 minutes, then stir very thoroughly with a fork to break up any ice crystals. Freeze 30 minutes more. Repeat this process every 30 minutes for 4 hours, scraping down the sides of the pan as you go.

After 4 hours, the mixture should be icy and similar to sorbet—and easy to scoop with a spoon. The granita will keep its consistency for about 24 hours; if storing in the freezer for longer, break up bigger chunks in a high-speed blender before serving.

Scoop 1/2 cup granita into a glass and pour milk or creamer of choice over to serve.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho