Tiramisu Granita

Full of warm coffee and cocoa flavors contrasting with cool cream, tiramisu has a special place in my heart. But every time I set out to make it, I wind up on a wild goose chase to find ladyfingers (and enough room in my refrigerator for a whole casserole dish). This spin turns those trademark flavors into a coffee-cognac granita with a whipped mascarpone cream topping. 

The dessert is loosely inspired by a granita I had a few years ago on a hot summer day at Tazza d’Oro in Rome. At the café, suited businessmen lean over a granite bar on their afternoon coffee breaks, sipping espressos or eating dark coffee-tinted granita that’s been layered into clear plastic cups with generous spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Since my own kitchen doesn’t have an industrial-size Italian espresso machine at the ready, I make this tiramisu granita with cold-brew concentrate. You can make cold-brew concentrate at home, or use unsweetened store-bought options like Grady’s or La Colombe in this recipe.

This Type 2 diabetes–friendly recipe has been medically reviewed by Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND; talk to your care provider about whether it’s right for you.