Chocolate Natillas With Coffee Bean Granita Recipes

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.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip coffee beans in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set, 10-15 minutes. If desired, roll in cocoa. Store in an airtight container.

COFFEE GRANITA WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Mix together the espresso, sugar, coffee liqueur and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the liquid into an 8-inch square glass baking dish and freeze. Every 30 minutes, remove the dish from the freezer and use a fork to scrape and break up the ice crystals. Repeat until the mixture is thoroughly frozen, about 4 hours.
• Spoon the granita into small glasses, dollop with the whipped cream and garnish with a mint leaf. Serve immediately.

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.

COFFEE GRANITA

Steps:

• Pour the coffee into a jug and stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Add the coffee liqueur and leave to cool completely.
• Once cold, pour the mixture into a freezable container and put in the freezer for 1 hr. Mix it with a fork - you should start to see ice crystals forming at the edges. Return to the freezer for 20 mins then stir again. Repeat once or twice more until the granita is all clumps of ice.
• Serve in glasses or bowls as an elegant dessert. For a more indulgent version, add a dollop of mascarpone and a grating of dark chocolate.

COFFEE GRANITA

Steps:

• Method: Heat the sugar and a cup of water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Dissolve the sugar, stir in the coffee; cool. (The cooler the liquid is before the freezing process begins, the quicker the granita will form its ice crystals). Pour the chilled liquid into a 20cm-square baking dish; freeze. Stir the mixture every 20-30 minutes as crystals form. (See Basic Tips below). Spoon into glasses. Top with whipped cream and chocolate-covered coffee beans, if using.
• GRAPEFRUIT AND CAMPARI GRANITA.
• Blend 2 cups of freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, half a cup of Campari, half a cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste. Pour into a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. Using the tines of a fork, stir the mixture every 30 minutes, scraping edges and breaking up any ice chunks as the mixture freezes, until granita is slushy and frozen, about 3 hours. Scoop into chilled serving glasses.
• GRANITA BASIC STEPS
• Heat up the water and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. This will make a syrup for your base that will give you a great finished texture. If the recipe calls for caster sugar, you may just be able to stir it into hot tap water to dissolve. If you are looking to get even more creative, try infusing your simple syrup with other flavours that will complement your granita recipe.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add any other ingredients that your granita recipe calls for. Refrigerate the liquid until it is completely cold.
• Pour the granita liquid into a shallow baking dish and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. At this point, ice will just begin to form around the edge of the dish.
• Use a fork to scrape the ice back into the centre of the dish. Make sure to get all the ice off the bottom of the dish as well. Return the granita to the freezer.
• Continue to scrape the dish every 20 minutes or so. Use the prongs of the fork to scrape any ice off the dish and the side of the fork to break up any larger chunks that have formed.
• Continue scraping the granita off the sides of the pan until it is completely frozen and has the consistency of coarse sand or shaved ice. Return the pan to the freezer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. You want the granita to be dry on the surface and lose any slushiness in texture before it is served.

CHOCOLATE NATILLAS WITH COFFEE BEAN GRANITA

Steps:

• Natilla: Melt chocilate in double boiler. In saucepan pour 3 c milk, scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add bean pod as well. Bring to simmer over med-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 15 min. Whisk egg yolks, sift starch in, whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk mixture. Return to saucepan, whisk constantly until it boils, thickens and is smooth (about 4 min). Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in sw/con milk, vanilla then melted chocolate. Pour through strainer into bowl. Divide between 8 goblets (1/2 c each). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Granita: In saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves, boil 3 min. Stir in coffee beans, boil 2 min. Remove from heat, cover and let steep until cool (about 3 hrs). Strain into 9 x 13 dish, add coffee liquer. Freeze until firm, stirring every 45 min for about 5 hrs. Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Before serving scrape surface with fork until crystals form. Place on top of pudding. Serve.