6 ways to make frozen coffee in your home kitchen

Take, for example, the granita, a traditional frozen coffee born in southern Italy, made from espresso, sugar and water, then frozen to a desired consistency. “Granitas are just such a refreshing summer treat, something even colder than cold brew and icier than iced coffee,” explains master barista Giorgio Milos of Illycaffè in Trieste, Italy. “There’s so many different things you can experiment and play with when freezing coffee, making it a fun experience every single time, which is what summer is all about.”

Ingredients:

- 10 fluid ounces of espresso

- 1.5 ounces of sugar

Directions:

Mix 10 fresh shots of espresso (10 fluid ounces/300 milliliters), cooled for at least five minutes, and 45 grams (1.5 ounces) sugar together in a quart-sized freezable bowl, making sure the sugar dissolves completely. Note: The amount of sugar can be adjusted, but the higher the sugar amount, the lower the freezing temperature will be, so the longer the freezing time.

Place the bowl in the freezer. Every 20 minutes, stir the mixture thoroughly with a silicone spatula or other mixing utensil, and place back in the freezer. Break down ice as much as possible for a smoother texture. Let the mixture freeze completely, between two and three hours, depending on desired consistency. Remove from the freezer and serve in a martini glass or your vessel of choice, alone or with a dollop of whipped cream.

You can store leftover granita in the freezer; take it out and leave at room temperature for 45 minutes and then stir right before serving.

One of the challenges of iced beverages in the heat is the ever-melting ice, watering down your cold coffee. Milos’ solution is effective, and fun to execute: Make ice cubes out of coffee, so your beverages stay the same strength from start to finish.

Using a pour-over filter, brew double-strength coffee directly over a carafe of ice. Let iced coffee sit until cool or room temperature. Pour into an ice tray and place in the freezer. Use cubes individually as desired, in an already prepared cold brew, or add to milk for an iced latte effect.

And for a more portable take on frozen coffee, who says ice pops are just child’s play? For a higher octane take on a summer treat, pour cold brew (its “smooth flavor, slight sweetness, and notes of caramel yield the best taste,” Milos advises) into a reusable ice pop mold, and place in the freezer to set. If you like a creamier or sweeter pop, you can experiment with adding sugar or milk into the pop molds before freezing.

Doshi likes a sweeter take on cold coffee, too — she favors a bit of sweetened condensed milk as one way to kick it up. Her DIY Spanish Latte is a “perfect balance between the bitter and the sweet,” she says. “I’ve grown to love and crave this cold latte to beat the scorch of summer.” Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the coffee, and choice of milk, to your tastes.

Ingredients:

- 2 shots of espresso

- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

- 3/4 cup of cold milk

- Ice cubes

Directions:

In a tall glass, add the condensed milk first. Follow with your choice of milk and ice cubes. Pour the hot espresso shots over ice. Garnish with a straw and stir to enjoy!

Brooklyn, New York-based Vietnamese coffee purveyors Nguyen Coffee Supply also utilize sweetened condensed milk, a traditional addition to Vietnamese coffee, in their take on icy-cold brews. If you can’t decide between salty or sweet, Nguyen Coffee recommends this iteration of salted caramel coffee, inspired by classic cocktails and as robust as a freshly shaken martini.

Ingredients:

- 2 ounces of strong Vietnamese coffee

- 1.5 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk

- 1 tablespoon milk

- Up to 1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions:

Combine condensed milk, brewed coffee, and regular milk in a cocktail shaker. Add sea salt. Add ice to the shaker. Place the lid on the shaker. Shake like you mean it. Add ice to a serving glass of your choice. Strain contents of shaker into glass. Garnish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

And when you’re ready for your frozen coffee as a full-blown dessert, Doshi has a blended dairy treat for you. “As a teen, I was introduced to cold coffee made of instant coffee powder instead of espresso,” she says, a powder she now employs for this sweaty summer afternoon or evening indulgence, and also key to the spring’s trending dalgona whipped coffee. “I like to think of it as a mix between a cold coffee and a milkshake,” she says.

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup cold milk

- 2 tablespoons strong instant coffee

- 2 big scoops of vanilla ice cream

- Whipped cream

- 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce

- Shaved chocolate (optional)

Directions:

In a blender, add milk followed by instant coffee powder and vanilla ice cream. Blend until mixture reaches milkshake consistency. Using a long spoon, loosely drizzle chocolate sauce inside a tall glass. Pour the blended frozen coffee in the glass and finish it with whipped cream. Amp it up with some chocolate shavings on top.