Almond granita ‘affogato’

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Tip the almonds onto a large baking tray, then toast in the oven for 12 minutes, stirring halfway. Tip into a blender or food processor, add the sugar, then whizz into a paste. With the motor running, pour in the warm water and continue whizzing until you have a smooth, creamy mixture. Transfer to a container and leave to chill in the fridge overnight.

2. The next day, strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, then churn in an ice cream machine according to the instructions. Transfer to a storage box, put the lid on and freeze fully. (Alternatively, strain into a storage box and freeze in the box, scraping up the mixture with a fork every 15-30 minutes until it solidifies. Put the lid on.) Leave in the freezer until needed.

3. To make the foam, pour the espresso into a small saucepan and heat to 82°C on your thermometer. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water. Remove the coffee from the heat, add the sugar and vanilla seeds and stir until the sugar dissolves. Squeeze excess water out of the gelatine, stir into the sweetened flavoured coffee, then set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature to infuse. Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or in the freezer for 20 minutes.

4. When ready to serve, take the granita out of the freezer to soften slightly. Transfer the coffee mixture to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the mixture at a low-medium speed until it turns thick, creamy and fluffy (about 1 minute). Scoop the granita into serving bowls, then spoon over the creamy coffee foam. Serve with a brioche bun, dusted with icing sugar.