How To Make Granita Fruit Or Coffee

There are some hot summer days where I don’t want to turn on an oven or stand over the stove. Those days are when I turn to granita, which only requires a pan and a fork. By afternoon, I have a sweet and refreshing dessert ready to go! Granita is an Italian dessert whose texture is somewhere between a smooth sorbet and a slushy. Sicily claims its invention, with various cultures boasting their own versions, from Persian Faloodeh to Hawaiian Shave Ice. But you don’t need to use your airline miles to enjoy this dessert. In fact, it’s such an easy recipe you don’t even need special equipment! This guide will give you a basic outline to make granita out of any fruit, with a few options for fruit juice and coffee as well (coffee granita is a Sicilian classic). Once you master this, try mixing fruits, or combining various herbs and spices with fruits and liqueurs. From sweet fruit purees to espresso or nut pastes: if you can freeze it, you can make it into granita. We’ve given some yummy suggestions below. Let us know what you try!

What is in a Granita?

A granita is a straightforward, gluten-free, and vegan dessert that you can make with 2 to 3 ingredients, but there are limitless combinations. For this basic granita recipe, you’ll need only 3 things:

Fruit Puree or Coffee: You can go many ways with the flavor of a granita, from freshly brewed coffee to juicy, in-season fruit pureed in your blender. Liquid: A straight fruit puree is too thick to use on its own so you will need to add water (or another liquid) to ensure a smooth base that is loose enough to spread out into a pan. The water also helps the mixture freeze well. Sweetener: I used organic cane sugar in testing this recipe, but there are many other sweeteners that will work. Honey, agave, maple syrup, and muscovado sugar are all options to sweeten your fruit mixture.

How to Make a Fruit Granita

You can use any seasonal fruit to make this granita recipe—peaches, berries, watermelon, or a combination. And be sure to taste your fruit before mixing and before freezing! Some fresh, ripe fruits are very sweet on their own, and may not require as much sweetener. Fruit juices may also be sweet enough not to need extra sugar. Here are the steps:

Cut your fruit into small pieces to yield 4 cups of chopped fruit. You’ll need to cube or cut them into small pieces to blend uniformly. For strawberries, I hull (remove the leaves and stem), and cut into quarters; unless I have a massive strawberry, then will chop that into 1/6 or 1/8 pieces. Blend the fruit with 1 cup of water (or 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of fruit juice) and sugar to taste (typically around 1/3 cup sugar). Blend for 30 seconds until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking, then pour your mixture into a sheet pan or baking dish at least 8×12 inches. You want a thin layer for quick freezing. Freeze. Check on your mixture after 1 hour. Parts of the mixture should be starting to freeze. Drag a fork through the frozen parts to break them up. Repeat. Put the mixture back into the freezer. Continue scraping a fork through the mixture every 30 minutes to an hour until it is fully frozen and the granita has a fluffy granulated texture. This should take about 2 hours in total if you have a large sheet tray, or longer if you’re using a smaller baking dish. Serve. When ready, serve in small glasses or bowls with spoons. Enjoy the granita on its own, mixed with other granita flavors, or topped with cream, wine, liquor, or sliced strawberries for garnish.

How to Make a Coffee Granita

A coffee that leans more chocolatey and less acidic tends to be the best option for desserts. Here are the steps:

Brew the coffee. Brew 2 cups of coffee, then mix with 1/3 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour your mixture into a sheet pan or baking dish at least 8×12 inches. You want a thin layer for quick freezing. Freeze for 1 hour. Parts of the mixture should be starting to freeze. Drag a fork through the frozen parts to break them up. Put the mixture back into the freezer for an additional 30 to 60 minutes. Check. Depending on how cold your freezer is, your mixture might be frozen through now. Use your fork to “fluff” the icy mixture. If it’s not completely frozen through at this point, freeze for another 30 minutes and fluff again with the fork. Serve. When ready, serve in small glasses or bowls with spoons. Enjoy the granita on its own, mixed with other granita flavors, or topped with cream, wine, liquor, or a few coffee beans for garnish.

Granita Ratios

This granita recipe gives a basic recipe ratio for using fruit puréed with sugar and water. However, you can also make granita with fruit juice or another liquid such as coffee or even wine. The volume for those will vary from the fruit puree since you are relying on just the liquid to form the base of the granita. Here are a few examples that will serve 4 people.

Fruit: 4 cups chopped fruit (puréed) + 1 cup water + 1/3 cup cane sugar Juice: 2 cups fresh juice + 1/3 cup cane sugar (or less if the juice is already sweet) Coffee: 2 cups freshly brewed coffee + 1/3 cup cane sugar (or more if you like your coffee sweet)

If you double the amount of liquid, double the amount of sugar as well. But always taste your fruits and juices first, as you may want to adjust the sweetener amount to your liking. If you’re having trouble incorporating the sugar into the liquid, gently heat the liquid and stir until all your sugar has dissolved.

Granita vs Sorbet

What’s the difference between a granita and sorbet? To make sorbet, you churn (or vigorously mix if you’re making it at home) in a similar way to ice cream, so that you get a smooth result with little to no ice crystals. Granita, on the other hand, is all about the rocky crystals you get from scraping the ice as it forms. Granita and sorbets are so closely linked that their differences can be confusing. Yes, they are both frozen treats that rely on fruit juice or puree and a sweetener. But it’s how you make them that changes the name.

Ways to Mix it Up

Tweak and adjust this granita recipe according to your taste. Here are some ways to make your own twist on granita:

Make it extra zippy: Replace half of the water in a fruit granita with freshly squeezed lemon juice. The citrus will add a bright tart flavor to the dish. Add herbs and spices: Fresh herbs or dried spices can make wonderful additions to a granita. Blend a small handful of fresh basil leaves into a lime granita or fresh mint with watermelon. Try a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and ginger into an apple cider granita. Make it adults-only: Serve your granitas topped with a liquor that complements the flavor. Berry granitas can be topped with gin, limoncello, or sparkling wine. A splash of rum or coffee liqueur over an espresso granita gives depth of flavor. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier to an orange granita. Add creaminess: Coffee granita is often served with a large dollop of whipped cream in Sicily, which also works well with a berry or stone fruit granita. You can substitute the cream for creme fraiche, or, if you’re feeling very daring, top your ice cream with a granita for a cool contrast of textures. Sugar alternatives: Honey, agave, maple syrup, and muscovado sugar can all be used instead of cane sugar.

How to Serve Granita

Italians have a very specific way of enjoying granita: at breakfast, served with a warm brioche bun that is either dipped into the granita or torn and used to scoop the icy treat up. To me, this sounds like the perfect beginning to a sweltering morning in southern Italy! You can enjoy this granita recipe on its own as a refreshing dessert, palate cleanser, or a start to a meal. Or do like the Sicilians and serve for breakfast alongside a brioche roll! A strawberry granita makes a sweet contrast in flavor and texture on top of Lemon Sorbet, Strawberry Frozen Yogurt, or add a scoop to a Strawberry Bellini. You can also layer flavors for a rainbow effect, or drizzle Limoncello over top.

How to Store Granita

To store any leftover granita, remove from the pan and place in an airtight container in the freezer. The mixture will be at its best for up to one month. You can always scrape it with the fork to fluff it more before serving! Browse all Mediterranean recipes Visit Our Shop