Sicilian Almond Granita

Name: Sicilian Almond Granita Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 1 & 1/4 cup whole almonds, ((200 grams)); 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 2 to 3 tbsp sugar; 2 cups almond milk (or regular milk), (unsweetened)

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A refreshing and authentic Italian snack that you can easily make at home! The hardest part in making Sicilian Almond Granita is waiting for it to freeze. A summer treat that will surely become one of your favorites!

Two glasses of almond granita served with Sicilian brioche.

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Almond granita is typically served for snacks and breakfast.

Yep, I was surprised with that too. But it works. I mean, summer in Sicily is really HOT, it being the southernmost part of Italy.

Every glass of granita provides a refreshing, sweet reprieve from the Sicilian heat, and if you like an entirely local experience, you better serve it with Sicilian brioche as well. 🙂

IF YOU WANT MORE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN TREATS FOR SUMMER, THEN YOU WOULD LOVE THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

Powdered sugar – you can just use your favorite brand.

Almonds – natural, whole almonds.

Sugar – regular white sugar is excellent for this almond granita recipe.

Milk – you can use either almond milk or regular milk. I prefer almond milk because it adds to the overall flavor of almonds.

An overhead shot of two servings of Sicilian Almond Granita, with some brioche on the side.

Preparation

Start by using a blender to ground the almonds into a slightly powdery texture (photo 1).

Add powdered sugar, regular sugar, and almond milk. Blend to combine evenly (photo 2).

Updated first part of a collage of images showing the step by step process of making almond granita.

Strain the mixture to eliminate big chunks of almonds and pour it directly into a freezer-proof tin (photo 3).

Freeze uncovered for an hour or two until the top has solidified a bit. It depends on the temperature of your freezer – mine typically takes about an hour.

Updated second part of a collage of images showing the step by step process of making almond granita at home.

Scrape by using a fork (photo 4).

Put the container back in the freezer and repeat it every hour for the next three hours.

Serve with sprinkled chopped almonds on top, if desired.

An image showing a tin of almond granita, with a scoop ready for serving.

Helpful tips

Make sure you don’t ground the almonds too much or end up with almond butter.

Do not add all the sugar at once. Taste and adjust as per your preference.

If you don’t want to serve it yet, cover the tin with aluminum foil and place it back in the freezer until serving.

A closer shot of a glass of almond granita, highlighting its texture on those bits of almonds on it.

Recipe variation

Regular milk. Full cream milk is generally used for making granita. I just opted to use almond milk when I discovered it in a small bar in Siracusa (during our last Sicilian trip) — it really does add depth to the almond flavor.

Toasted or blanched almonds. You can either remove the almonds’ skin, toast them, or do both; it’s all up to you.

FAQs

What is almond granita?

Originally from Sicily, granita is a semi-frozen blend of sugar, liquid (i.e., milk or water), and some flavorings like fruits, nuts, or chocolates.

Nowadays, though, you see them in every region of Italy – most of the time adding their twist to it.

Is almond granita vegan?

Not all of them, but this particular recipe is.

The ones I’ve tried on the island of Sicily are mostly made of regular milk. I’ve only tried the one with almond milk in Siracusa – and that’s the flavor that has stuck to me.

You don’t just see faint traces of almonds; you taste it as well.

Should I use sweetened or unsweetened milk?

You can use either sweetened or unsweetened almond milk – but be sure to adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. For this recipe, I use unsweetened almond milk because that’s the one I had on hand.

Always taste (and adjust) the mixture before even straining and pouring it into the tin.

Looks so refreshing right? So give this Sicilian almond granita a try, and let me know what you think! 🙂