Chocolate Granita Food

COFFEE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the coffee, sugar, coffee liqueur and vanilla and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour, until the mixture starts to become slushy around the edges. Rake the mixture with a dinner fork to break up the crystals and place the pan back in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, rake the mixture, until it is completely frozen and granular throughout. Wrap well and keep frozen for a few hours, until ready to serve.
• Spoon the granita into bowls or stemmed glasses, such as martini glasses, and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE GRANITA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, dissolve sugar in water and vanilla. Bring to a boil, let boil one minute, then remove from heat.
• Stir remaining ingredients into sugar water until it is well mixed and chocolate is completely melted.
• Pour into a 9" x 9" baking pan.
• Cover loosely and freeze for two hours, until it is frozen at the edges. Scrape the ice with a fork, mixing it towards the center of the dish.
• Repeat every 30 to 40 minutes, until the granita is completely frozen (the texture should be somewhere between slushy and flaky).
• Keep frozen until ready to serve. Should the granita become too solid before serving, use a fork to loosen it, and let sit for a few minutes to soften slightly.
• QUICK FREEZE METHOD: Freeze mixture into an ice cube tray; once solid, use a food processor or ice shaver to flake.

COFFEE GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar melts. Pour mixture into 9 by 13-inch metal pan and place on level shelf in freezer for half an hour. (Mixture should only come about 1/4-inch up the side of the pan.) Remove and use a dinner fork to scrape any ice crystals that have formed on the side or bottom of the pan. Return to freezer and repeat scraping every 20 to 30 minutes for 3 to 4 hours. Once mixture is thoroughly frozen, fluff with a fork and allow flakes to "dry" in freezer another half hour before serving. When served, the granita should look like a fluffy pile of dry brown crystals.
• Scoop into goblets and top with barely sweetened whipped cream, add additional citrus zest if desired.

MILK CHOCOLATE GRANITA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, mix water and milk.
• Place over low heat, then add sugar to dissolve.
• When sugar is dissolved, add chocolate and cocoa.
• Pour into a baking dish or other wide, shallow container (the shallower the granita is in the dish, the faster it will freeze).
• Allow to cool slightly (at least until it is no longer steaming).
• Cover and freeze for one to two hours, until it is frozen at the edges. Scrape the ice with a fork, mixing it towards the center of the dish.
• Repeat every 20 to 30 minutes, until the granita is completely frozen (the texture should be somewhere between flaky and slushy).
• Keep frozen until ready to serve. If the granita becomes too solid before serving, allow to sit at room temperature until slightly softened, then use a fork to loosen.
• QUICK GRANITA METHOD: Freeze mixture into an ice cube tray; once solid, use a food processor or ice shaver to flake.

CHOCOLATE GRANITA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Bring to a full boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted, then add the vanilla. Freeze according to the instructions for freezing granita on page 145.
• Perfect Pairings
• Spoon crystals of Chocolate Granita over White Chocolate Ice Cream (page 33) or in contrast to a dish of Tangerine Sorbet (page 119).