Coffee granita is a Sicilian frozen dessert made with only 3 ingredients and perfect any time of day. Whether it's for breakfast, midday snack, afternoon pick me, or late night nibble, this refreshing treat is best enjoyed topped with whipped cream and served with a Sicilian brioche!
Whenever I am in Sicily, my daily granita with brioche is a must! You'll often see Sicilians enjoying their granita as a mid-morning snack at a local bar. I usually have mine as a late afternoon treat after a day at the beach. And, it's the perfect late night snack after a casual passeggiata along the lungomare. Basically, any time of day is perfect for indulging in granita!
My go-to flavor is usually classic granita al limone (lemon), but if you're looking for a heartier granita, coffee granita topped with whipped cream, or granita al caffè con panna, served with a brioche can practically be a meal in itself!
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Do I need special equipment to make coffee granita?
Definitely not, this recipe could not be any easier! Simply stir all ingredients together place in a shallow glass or metal dish and freeze it, stirring every 30 minutes or so to get that slushy consistency.
If you do prefer a granita that has a smoother consistency you may process the granita in a food processor for a few seconds until smooth. Alternately, you may use an ice cream maker to make granita, although I have never tried this technique myself.
How to serve granita
When you order granita in Sicily the server will always ask you if you want a brioche with it. This is the classic, must have granita pairing!
So what do you do with the brioche, you might ask? When you have a brioche with your granita there is a strict protocol on how to eat it. Here's what you do: first of all you remove the tuppo from the top of the brioche. Then you dunk the tuppo in your granita and enjoy that first. Next, you proceed to dunk the rest of your brioche, piece by piece, in your granita. Don't ask me why, just be sure to eat it this way!
And if you try any of my homemade granita recipes such as limone or blueberry granita, be sure to check out my Sicilian brioche recipe!
Granita al Caffè Ingredient List
- Coffee: use freshly brewed espresso coffee (strong Italian coffee) made with a moka coffee pot or coffee machine. I used Lavazza coffee.
- Sugar: I prefer my granita not too sweet. Taste and adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
- For serving: whipped cream for topping is optional however I strongly recommend it!
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
How to make Sicilian Coffee Granita
- Pour your brewed espresso coffee into a shallow glass or metal pan and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, stir together the water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
- Add the simple syrup to the coffee and stir to combine. Let cool before covering and placing in the freezer (about 30 minutes).
- After about 3 hours, remove the granita from the freezer and use a fork to break up the ice crystals and scrape the granita. Cover and place in the freezer.
- For the next 2-3 hours continue scraping the granita, approximately every 30 minutes, with a fork to fluff up the ice crystals.
- To serve, scrape granita into glasses or bowls, top with whipped cream (optional) and serve immediately!
Top Tip
You're now ready to enjoy your granita! If your granita crystals are frozen solid and it is difficult to scrape into your glass try letting it sit for a few minutes at room temperature before serving. Alternately, place the coffee granita in your food processor and pulse a few times until smooth. Serve immediately.
Coffee Granita Recipe FAQs
No worries, place the solid granita in the bowl of your food processor and pulse a few times until you have the desired consistency. Do not over process or your granita will be become liquidy and you'll have to freeze it and start over again!
Remove the granita from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scraping into individual glasses and serving.
To ensure the best texture, serve your granita within one week.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
More Sicilian refreshing desserts!
Sicilian Coffee Granita (granita al caffè)
Ingredients
- 1 cup brewed espresso coffee
- 1 cup water
- 5 tbsp. granulated sugar
For serving (optional)
- whipped cream as much as desired!
Instructions
- Pour your brewed espresso coffee into a shallow glass or metal pan and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, stir together the water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the simple syrup to the coffee and stir to combine. Let cool before covering and placing in the freezer (about 30 minutes).
- After about 3 hours, remove the granita from the freezer and use a fork to break up the ice crystals and scrape the granita. Cover and place in the freezer.
- For the next 2-3 hours continue scraping the granita, approximately every 30 minutes, with a fork to fluff up the ice crystals.
- To serve, scrape granita into glasses or bowls, top with whipped cream (optional) and serve immediately!
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