There are combinations in the world that once discovered, make complete sense. I learned this lesson early on in my marriage. One beautiful morning, I awoke early as usual while my husband was still in a deep sleep. Guitars, cables, and cords filled our small space, letting me know that my night owl of a husband had stayed up late working. Half awake, I clumsily prepared my first cup of coffee and attempted to find a space clear of clutter to enjoy my morning cup. In the midst of my own fog, I somehow mixed my husband’s mug of midnight Coca-Cola and my own morning coffee.

At first, I was stunned by the mishap, but then I thought it was an interesting combination: smoky, robust coffee mixed with the sweet, deep flavors of Coca-Cola. I glanced over at my sleeping husband, knowing there are just those opposites in life that wonderfully compliment each other. I took another sip, smiling all the while.

That’s what inspired this recipe, and serving this pair as a dessert using both iced coffee and ice-cold Coca-Cola – it’s a sure cool hit on a hot summer day.

The combination of Coca-Cola’s complex sweetness, coffee’s full-bodied notes and the addition of vanilla bean, which compliments and ties the two flavors together, creates a lovely balance. Read on for the recipe!



Coca Cola & Coffee Granita

Coca-Cola & Coffee Granita

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of recently brewed coffee (I use Colombian by Green Mountain Coffee® in my Keurig® brewer)
  • ¼ cup of raw cane sugar
  • 3 cups of Coca-Cola
  • ½ vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

Directions:

Pour the recently brewed coffee into a shallow container with a lid. Stir cane sugar into the coffee until completely dissolved. Stir in the Coca-Cola and toss in the vanilla bean. Place the container in the freezer for an hour. 

After an hour, take a fork and scrape any ice crystals that have formed. Place the container back into the freezer and scrape the ice every 30 minutes until the granita is light and fluffy. Serve in glasses and enjoy!






Amber Wilson

Amber Wilson was raised in Cajun Country, experienced the boldness of Texas fare, tasted the light cuisine in Florida, plunged her fork into the various influences in Alabama, and is now enjoying the harmonious city of Nashville. She grew up in the small town of Lake Charles, Louisiana, where the women in her family taught of the importance of Cajun heritage and, of course, Cajun cuisine. She can be found sharing her Southern food and memories writing at For the Love of the South.

Amber is one of our travel bloggers for The Opener , an exclusive, invite-only contributor network that will bring the best food, travel, career, lifestyle, culture and innovation writing to the pages of Coca-Cola Journey.