Coffee Granita with Sambuca Ice Cream and Chocolate Shavings

ingredients

• 1 quart hot strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons confectioners sugar
• 5 teaspoons Sambuca
• 1/2 cup fine-quality bittersweet chocolate shavings (not unsweetened, cut with a vegetable peeler from a 3-oz bar)

directions

Stir together coffee and granulated sugar until sugar is dissolved, then chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Pour into an 8-9 inch baking pan (1.5-2 quarts capacity) and freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, until evenly frozen, about 4 hours. Scrape with fork to lighten texture.

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and Sambuca (to taste) in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks. Spoon Sambuca cream into 8 glasses and top each serving with a scant cup of granita (do not pack when measuring). Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Granita can be made 3 days ahead and kept frozen, covered. Scrape with a fork just before serving.