Espresso Granita and more

A cube or two of sugar is no longer enough for our collective sweet tooth. We want our caffeine spiked with more - from cinnamon and caramel to blueberries and vanilla.

So why not flavor dessert with coffee?

"We drink coffee with our morning muffin and with dessert after dinner. Combining the rich flavor of coffee with a treat only makes sense," says Gregory Casale, executive chef for Paradise Bakery & Cafe in Phoenix.

Pairing coffee with desserts is nothing new. An 1869 French cookbook includes a recipe for what is believed to be the original coffee dessert - parfait au cafe, a mix of brewed coffee, sugar and heavy cream. During the following century, coffee continued sporadically to infiltrate desserts from ice cream to cakes.

Mix the espresso, hot water and sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour into a shallow pan and place in the freezer. After an hour remove, stir the liquid and break up any ice that has formed. Repeat, stirring every 30 minutes, for about two hours until granular chunks of fluffy ice have formed.

It should look similar to the ice in a snow cone. Serve in a decorative glass with a slice of fresh orange, mint sprig and a dollop of fresh whipped cream as a garnish.

Makes one serving.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, instant coffee, butter and salt. Over medium-high heat, begin to cook the mixture until the butter is melted. Continue to cook to 250 degrees about 15 minutes. Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature.

Add the ground espresso beans and continue to cook to 280 degrees about seven to nine minutes. Quickly remove the saucepan from the heat and add the hazelnuts. Add in the baking soda and stir. The mixture will foam up. Pour the hot mixture onto a heavily buttered baking sheet or silicone pad. Break into pieces when cool.

Makes four servings.

Make a strong espresso coffee or use a good brand of instant espresso, such as Medaglia d'Oro.

While the coffee is still hot, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Chill in refrigerator until cold.

Pour into a metal bowl or loaf pan; do not use glass, as it does not conduct the cold as well. Place in a freezer compartment for 30 minutes, remove and take a fork to break up the ice crystals that have formed around the edge of the pan. After the first chilling, continue the process, stirring every 15 minutes, until the entire mixture has a grainy texture and no liquid is left in the pan. The freezing process should take 2 to 3 hours.

Granita is best served the day it is prepared. If kept longer, it forms a solid mass. The granita can be broken into crystals again by placing in a food processor and pulsing on and off 4 to 5 times. Overprocessing make the ice crystals too small.

Serve in stemmed wine glasses, topped with whipped cream.

Makes 4 servings.