This
is basically coffee ice, or slush, Make just over 1 litre/33fl oz/4
cups.
SERVES
FOUR
200ml/7fl
oz/scant 1 cup strong coffee (about 5 generous cups of espresso or filter/plunger
brewed using 80g/14 tbsp/1 cups of water)
400ml/14fl oz/1 2/3 cups water
140g/5oz/3/4 cup sugar
2.5ml/1/2 tsp vanilla essence (extract) (optional)
1 egg white (optional)
120ml/4fl oz 1/2 cup whipped cream, to decorate
Pour the
brewed coffee into a large bowl or blender and set aside. Boil half
the water with the sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place in the
refrigerator. When the sugar syrup is cold, add it, the remaining water,
and the vanilla to the coffee, stir until well-blended. If using , whisk
the egg white and fold it into the mixture: it will make the granita
much smoother. Pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-proof tin pan),
such as an ice cube tray or baking tin (sheet), and place in the freezer.
About every 30 minutes, break the freezing mixture up with a fork to
create the traditional grainy shaved-ice consistency. When it is well-frozen
serve it in individual cups, and top them with a little whipped cream.
