This celebratory twist on iced coffee is the perfect accompaniment to a frenzied September afternoon.

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Granita cocktail illustration
Illustration by Madeline Donahue.

Inspired by the back-to-school spirit of September in New York, this granita is a riff on the iced coffee that keeps most of us going throughout the day. The recipe is as simple as it gets: Freeze a mix of coffee, maple syrup, and vanilla; scrape it into a slushy consistency; and top it with condensed milk whipped cream, a nod to Vietnamese coffee that lends the dish a cloud-like creaminess. When our schedules kick into high gear, what’s better than an energizing treat you can enjoy for both breakfast and dessert?

Mina Stone’s Granita Recipe:

Ingredients

Coffee Granita:

3 Cups strong coffee (I used cold brew)
3/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Condensed Milk Whip Cream:

1 1/2 Cups cold heavy cream
1/4 Cup condensed milk
1/4 Tsp cream of tartar
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine coffee, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt
  2. Whisk well
  3. Pour into a 9-by-9-inch pan and place in freezer for 1 hour, until it gets slushy
  4. Rake mixture with a fork every 30 minutes until totally frozen and granular throughout
  5. Wrap well and keep frozen

Condensed milk whip cream:

  1. In a cold bowl (place in freezer for 5 minutes) place the heavy cream, condensed milk, and cream of tartar
  2. Whisk well, add a pinch of salt to taste
  3. Whip cream mixture until soft peaks form
  4. Serve with Granita!

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