Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!

In honor of getting to meet Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks, I thought it would be appropriate to share a coffee themed recipe.

Coffee can add another level of flavor when added to a recipe. I always add a teaspoon of ground espresso to my chocolate cake recipe. I think that it makes the chocolate rich but not sweet. Ground coffee can also be mixed with various spices and used as a dry rub for steaks or chops. I love that coffee can be used for both savory and sweet cooking, as well as just plain brewing a cup and drinking it! So, in honor of all my coffee friends at Starbucks, here is my recipe for Coffee Granita with foam and cinnamon.....

Serves 6, 6oz cups

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups hot brewed coffee, preferably a dark coffee like an Italian Roast
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cinnamon stick

In a shallow metal pan,mix the coffee and sugar together. Make the sure the sugar is completely melted. Place in the fridge and chill. When chilled, place into freezer and let sit for 1/2 hour. Using a fork, stir the granita and repeat this every 1/2 hour, until mixture set, but not frozen solid.

For the foam, using a countertop espresso machine or milk frother, foam the milk, ensuring to get enough air in the milk, to create foam. Set out 6, 6oz cups and using an ice cream scoop, divide the granita among the cups. Top each, with a bit of foam and then using a microplane, grate the cinnamon stick on top of each. Enjoy!

To all my Starbucks friends, past and present thanks for all the fun years and to Howard Schultz, it was a pleasure to meet you.