Espresso Granita Recipe

Cool off this summer with an ice-cold espresso granita. You don't need any special equipment or a shaved-ice maker to enjoy this delicious frozen treat, and it will give you a bonus caffeine boost.

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups freshly brewed espresso or very  strong coffee
3/4 cup sugar

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

Step 1

Make the base
Combine the espresso and sugar in a medium bowl and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

Step 2

Freeze the granita
Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or  similar shallow pan. Freeze uncovered for 11⁄2 hours, or until ice crystals start to form.

Step 3

Stir the mixture with a fork to break up the crystals. Return the baking dish to the freezer and stir every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals as the granita freezes. When the granita is completely frozen (about 4 hours total), it should have a light, feathery texture.

Step 4

Serve right away or transfer the granita to a container and store in the freezer. Break up the mixture with a fork just before serving.

Step 5

Zoom Image

Reprinted with permission from "Sweet Cream & Sugar Cones" by Kris Hoogerhyde, Anne Walker, and Dabney Gough, copyright © 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo: Paige Green © 2012.