Chocolate Granita Recipes

COCONUT GRANITA

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together until well blended. Taste for sweetness.
• Pour into a 9 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking pan and put into the freezer. After 30 minutes, with a fork scrape to form flaky texture. Continue to scrape the surface every 30 minutes until you have a fluffy snowy consistency. Serve or keep in an airtight container in the freezer, scraping every so often to keep a light texture.

CHOCOLATE NATILLAS WITH COFFEE-BEAN GRANITA

Steps:

• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.
• Pour 3 cups whole milk into heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk to simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup milk in medium bowl to blend. Sift cornstarch over; whisk until mixture is blended and smooth. Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until custard boils, thickens, and is smooth, about 4 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, then whisk in melted chocolate. Pour pudding through fine strainer into 4-cup measuring cup. Divide chocolate pudding among 8 goblets or dessert glasses (allow about 1/2 cup chocolate pudding for each glass). Cover puddings and refrigerate overnight.
• Top each serving with scoop of granita and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S CHOCOLATE GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, salt, cayenne pepper, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Add oats and almonds. Toss and smear the mixture together using a spatula until well coated. Spread mixture evenly over a silicone-lined baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Toss granola with a fork, breaking up any clumps to get a finer texture. Continue baking until desired texture is reached, 30 to 60 minutes more. Sprinkle some granola onto a plate; if it clinks, it is ready. Turn off the oven and leave granola inside the oven to dry and cool to room temperature.

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.

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).