Tiramisu Granita
Active Time
15 minutes
Total Time
3 hours 5 minutes
Full of warm coffee and cocoa flavors contrasting with cool cream, tiramisu has a special place in my heart. But every time I set out to make it, I wind up on a wild goose chase to find ladyfingers (and enough room in my refrigerator for a whole casserole dish). This spin turns those trademark flavors into a coffee-cognac granita with a whipped mascarpone cream topping.
The dessert is loosely inspired by a granita I had a few years ago on a hot summer day at Tazza d’Oro in Rome. At the café, suited businessmen lean over a granite bar on their afternoon coffee breaks, sipping espressos or eating dark coffee-tinted granita that’s been layered into clear plastic cups with generous spoonfuls of whipped cream.
Since my own kitchen doesn’t have an industrial-size Italian espresso machine at the ready, I make this tiramisu granita with cold-brew concentrate. You can make cold-brew concentrate at home, or use unsweetened store-bought options like Grady’s or La Colombe in this recipe.
This Type 2 diabetes–friendly recipe has been medically reviewed by Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND; talk to your care provider about whether it’s right for you.
Ingredients
4 servings
Preparation
Step 1
In a glass measuring cup, whisk together 1¼ cups unsweetened cold-brew concentrate, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tsp. cognac until sugar has dissolved.
Step 2
Pour coffee mixture into a metal loaf pan, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the freezer. After 1 hour, remove loaf pan, use a fork to scrape up any ice crystals that have begun to form around edges of pan, and return to freezer for another hour. Continue to freeze, scraping and breaking up larger ice crystals once an hour, for a total of 3–6 hours (the timing will vary depending on the exact temperature of your freezer). The granita is ready to serve when it’s reached the texture of snow rather than slush.
Step 3
Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup mascarpone, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, if using, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture reaches the texture of whipped cream, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
To serve, divide granita into 4 small glasses or dessert bowls, top with mascarpone mixture, and sift over 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder.
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