Lemon Granita Affogato
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A zingy lemon granita made with coconut barista milk thickened gently with tapioca starch and sweetened with less sugar. Frozen into shards then blitzed for a smooth yet icy texture. Served with a hot short espresso poured on top just before serving. Refreshing, creamy, dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free. Citrus aroma brightens the earthy coffee hit. Technique focuses on watching texture change when cooking the custard base and freezing it enough without turning into a solid block. Substituted tapioca starch for corn starch to avoid cloudiness. Uses oat milk barista option but coconut works best for richness. Small spoonfuls of zest, not peel bits.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
26 min
Servings:
6 servings
#vegan
#gluten-free
#dairy-free
#frozen dessert
#coffee dessert
#french-inspired
#citrus
#summer dessert
Start thinking bright, cold, and bold. Citrus punch hits first through the thin veil of creamy sweet coconut base. Coconut barista milk—not your average almond milk—gives body the espresso needs to melt into the icy shards. Tapioca starch works wonders here; it thickens but leaves a clean feel, unlike corn starch which can cloud the delicate lemon notes. Once cooled, frozen solid, then chopped and blitzed, the texture dances between creamy and sharp ice. Coffee shots bring it alive just before serving—hot, steamy, jarring the cold with bitter-sweet contrast. Salt at the end? Try it once. It snaps flavors sharply awake. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill cold affogato. It’s a play on temperatures and textures that wakes up your palate in unexpected ways.
Ingredients
- 100 g (just under 1/2 cup) organic sugar
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) tapioca starch
- 1/2 lemon finely zested (avoid white pith)
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) coconut barista-style beverage
- Freshly brewed espresso, short
About the ingredients
Sugar quantity reduced slightly—too much sweets dull citrus lift. Use organic, fine granulated sugar to dissolve evenly; coarse can sit grainy in the final scoop. Tapioca starch is a cleaner thickener here; corn starch often gives a dull cloudiness and a pasty mouthfeel. Coconut barista milk found in most supermarkets has fat content that emulsifies and carries flavors better than lighter plant milks. Oat barista milk is acceptable but lacks the same level of creaminess; if used, up starch content by a teaspoon, or granita won’t firm properly. Avoid lemon juice entirely—acid breaks down starch gels and ruins texture. Freshly zested peel only, finely grated to avoid bitter pith chunks. Espresso must be hot, just pulled. Cold coffee flops the effect completely.
Method
- Start by whisking sugar, tapioca starch, and lemon zest in a small saucepan off heat until fully combined and no lumps remain.
- Gradually stir in coconut beverage until smooth—avoid lumps; add slowly with constant whisking.
- Place on medium heat; stir continuously scraping bottom and sides; bubbling will start then thicken noticeably to a soft pudding stage that just coats the back of a spoon. Watch texture not time.
- Remove from heat, pour into a shallow glass container; cover tightly and freeze minimum 7 hours or overnight; aim for a solid but scoopable consistency.
- Remove granita block; chop roughly, place pieces in food processor. Pulse till creamy and semi-smooth but still icy with tiny crystals. Avoid overblending into slush.
- Transfer back into airtight container; freeze but stir gently once or twice to maintain fluffy texture if time allows.
- For serving, scoop ~60 ml (1/4 cup) granita into small cups or glasses; pour hot espresso over at last second. Serve immediately with small spoon.
- Optional twist: finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt atop the espresso pour to accentuate brightness.
- If lacking coconut barista milk, substitute oat or almond barista milk but expect thinner texture; adjust starch by slightly increasing.
- Don’t use non-barista plant milks; they break down or taste watery here.
- No lemon juice—zest only for aroma without curdling or thinning mixture.
Cooking tips
Whisk dry ingredients before adding liquid to avoid clumps that burn or create spots in custard. Stir continuously when heating to avoid scorching on pan base and lumps on edges. Watch for pudding-like thickness—not fully set custard, but coats spoon with a slight jiggle. Timing here hinges on feel more than stopwatch. Freeze in shallow container for faster, more even solidifying—deep trays give uneven texture. The freeze duration depends on your freezer—check after 7 hours; if still soft, freeze longer. When processing granita, pulse short bursts; over-processing produces unpleasant, watery slush instead of fluffy icy cream. Freeze granita after blitzing to set; if you skip this, it melts to a watery mess fast. Serve immediately after adding espresso—hot on cold is key. Use quality espresso—instant or weak brews will dilute brightness. A sprinkle of flaky salt or a tiny lemon twist brightens bitter coffee notes at the end—highly recommended.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start dry whisking sugar, tapioca starch, lemon zest off heat. No lumps or grainy sugar bits that burn later. Slowly add coconut milk while whisking constantly to avoid clumps. Don’t rush or lumps set—texture first, time second.
- 💡 Heat medium, stir constantly scraping bottom and sides. Watch closely; bubbles start, then pudding stage coats spoon just thick enough. Jiggle test tells timing, no stopwatch needed. Overheat turns grainy or pasty, undercooked stays runny.
- 💡 Freeze in shallow glass container for even cold; deep trays freeze uneven, icy chunks ruin creamy shards texture when blitzed. Freeze at least 7 hours or overnight. Check texture before proceeding. Hard but scoopable is target.
- 💡 After freezing, chop and pulse granita in short bursts. Avoid overblending or you get watery slush. Want icy but creamy shards. Pulse, check texture, pulse again if needed. Granita melts fast; freeze after blitzing to hold form.
- 💡 If coconut barista milk not available, use oat or almond barista milk. Increase tapioca starch by 1 tsp minimum. Non-barista milks break down starch gels—avoid for custard texture. Tapioca starch keeps granita clean, corn starch clouds and dulls citrus.
Common questions
Can I use lemon juice instead of zest?
No juice. Acid breaks starch gel; ruins texture. Zest only. Tiny bits, finely grated. White pith bitter, avoid. This keeps granita clean, not watery or curdled.
What if granita is too icy or hard after freezing?
Chop and blitz till creamy shards. Overfreeze=hard, underfreeze=soft. Freeze longer if soft, pulse to soften if too hard. Don’t skip stirring granita once frozen if time allows.
How do I keep custard base from burning or clumping?
Stir constantly when on heat. Medium heat only. Scrape bottom and sides. Watch texture - thickens slowly, pudding stage. No lumps means good whisk before adding liquid. Timing based on feel.
How long can leftovers store?
Keep frozen airtight container. Stir once or twice when freezing again to keep fluffy texture; avoids icy blocks. Thaw slightly before serving, re-blitz if texture degraded. Not recommended to refrigerate only; melts fast.
