Viennese Coffee
How do you like your coffee? In general, I like mine really rich, but there are times when my mood calls for something lighter and more refreshing. However, habits are hard to break, and I find myself looking for rich coffee more often than not. I just found a recipe for Viennese coffee and I think I shall try it out.
Viennese coffee is known for being very rich, mixed with cream and chocolate. Maybe something like an extreme café mocha? Here is the recipe that I want to try out:
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 bar (3 ounces) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
3 cups strong freshly brewed hot coffee
¼ cup crème de cacao or Irish cream (optional)
Preparation:
1. Chill bowl, beaters and cream before whipping. Place 2/3 cup cream and sugar into chilled bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.
2. Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. If mixture has separated slightly after refrigeration, whisk lightly with wire whisk before using.
3. To make chocolate shavings for garnish, place waxed paper under chocolate. Holding chocolate in one hand, make short, quick strokes across chocolate with vegetable peeler; set aside. Break remaining chocolate into pieces.
4. Place remaining 1/3 cup cream in heavy small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add chocolate pieces; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth.
5. Add hot coffee to chocolate mixture. Heat over low heat just until bubbles form around edge of pan and coffee is heated through, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in crème de cacao, if desired.
6. Pour into 4 warmed mugs. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Another recipe that I saw included an egg, but I don’t think I like the idea. Anyhow, why don’t you try it out for yourself?
Coffee Cocktails, Anyone?
Coffee and alcohol – what better combination can you think of? For those who need to have their fix of these two “drugs,” then here are some recipes for you to try out. I stumbled upon them at the New Straits Times, courtesy of Kitty Kaye, who swears by them. Here are two most interesting ones.
Caribbean Coffee cocktail
This one is surprisingly masculine in flavours, despite its feminine appearance.
You will need:
l half a measure of dark rum
l a cup of coffee, hot
l whipped cream
l 2 tsp sugarSimply mix it all together and end it all with a generous spritz of whipped cream.
Dark rum and coffee – now doesn’t that sound wonderful??? Of course, the whipped cream just got me all excited. Just take a look at this:
Cold Comfort Coffee cocktail
Ah, a favourite! It has everything I look for. Simplicity in flavours and simple to prepare. This is for serious coffee drinkers who like their coffee black and sugarless.
This one is bitter and showcases the familiar flavours of coffee with whiffs of alcohol.You will need:
l half a measure of dark rum
l half a measure of Southern Comfort
l a dash of creme de cacao liquer
l a cup of coffee, chilledShake together all the ingredients and serve in a short tumbler with some ice cubes.
I can just imagine making this on a lazy Saturday afternoon. You know, the kind that you have when you spent all night Friday getting drunk? Talk about hair of the dog…with the added benefit of caffeine.
Irish Coffee Crunchies
A mere mention of the name of the recipe is enough to make my mouth water! What better way to enjoy your coffee with great tasting cookies? And if you do not feel like drinking a cup of joe (I really can’t imagine why you wouldn’t!), you can still have your coffee kick from these amazing cookies. By the way, they’re perfect for dessert during the holidays.
Here is the recipe as presented by ABC News.
In a bowl beat 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened, with 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in 2 teaspoons each of Irish whiskey and strong coffee and 1 teaspoon heavy cream. Add 2 cups quick-cooking oats and 1 cup flour sifted with 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder and combine the mixture to form a dough. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface and with a 2 1/4-inch cutter cut out rounds. Bake the rounds on a buttered baking sheet in a preheated moderate oven (350° F) for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly colored. Transfer the rounds to a rack and let them cool.
In a small bowl combine 2 teaspoons each of Irish whiskey and strong coffee and 1 teaspoon heavy cream. In a bowl combine 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, and the coffee mixture, stir in 3 teaspoons boiling water, a little at a time, and beat the icing, adding a few drops more water if necessary, until it is smooth and of spreading consistency. Spread half the rounds thinly with the icing, top them with the remaining rounds, and coat the cookies with the icing. Transfer the cookies to a rack and let the icing set. Makes about 18 cookies.
I am thinking that as good as this looks, I will need to double – even triple – the ingredients!
Affogato al Caffe
What is the best thing to have after a huge turkey dinner? I am sure you already know my answer – coffee! This, of course, is subject to interpretation or personal preference but you cannot deny that a nice cup of coffee after a filling meal is always welcome. For Thanksgiving this year, I think I am going to try something new. Instead of the good old brewed coffee or even café latte, I want to serve a different coffee drink. As such, I have been on the (online) prowl for a recipe that could be prove to be interesting.
Trust Mario Batali, who is perhaps my favorite Iron Chef, to provide me with the perfect coffee recipe dubbed Affogato al Caffe. Apparently, he published this recipe way back in 2000 but I have never come across it before. It does look interesting, though:
Ingredients
Semifreddo
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 ounces very strong espresso
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 cups strong decaffeinated coffee, cooled
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powderPreparation
In a 3-quart saucepan bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the espresso.In a mixing bowl, beat the yolks until pale yellow. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light yellow ribbons form when the beaters are lifted. Stir in half of the hot milk, then stir in the remaining milk.
Cook over low heat without boiling until the mixture coats the back of a spoon thickly and sets slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and chill for 1/2 hour.
Whip 1 1/2 cups of the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the custard mixture. Transfer to an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (The semifreddo can be made up to 2 weeks in advance).
Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks. Place 1 scoop of semifreddo in each of eight tall glasses. Pour 1 cup of cooled coffee over each scoop, dollop with whipped cream, and dust with cocoa.
This makes 8 servings.
I would really love to make this – if I can find an ice cream machine to use!
Harvest Coffee Cider
Whenever there is a special celebration, drinks and food will always be part of the festivities. Thanksgiving is definitely not exempt from this. Friends and family get together to enjoy each other’s company and share good food and great drinks. Though coffee is not the default drink for Thanksgiving, it is always a perfect drink after a good meal. Here is one recipe that I am all excited about. I have never ever tried coffee and apple cider together but I like them separately so the combination should work out well.
Here’s the recipe I found at Recipe Gold Mine.
Harvest Coffee Cider
1/4 cup ground Maxwell House Coffee, any variety
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup apple juice or cider
3 cups cold water1. Place coffee in filter in brew basket of coffee maker; sprinkle with cinnamon.
2. Place sugar and apple juice in empty pot of coffee maker.
3. Add water to coffee maker; brew.
4. When brewing is complete, stir until well blended.
Makes 4 servings.
Great Substitute:
Substitute honey for the brown sugar.Nutrition (per serving): Calories 90, Total fat 0g, Saturated fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 10mg, Carbohydrate 22g, Dietary fiber 1g, Sugars 19g, Protein 0g, Vitamin A 0%DV, Vitamin C 0%DV, Calcium 2%DV, Iron 6%DV
This recipe looks easy enough to follow. One thing, though, I do not really use Maxwell House coffee so I probably would not use it for the recipe. I don’t think it would matter, do you?
Dough With Coffee?
I suppose it is not that weird of an idea, is it? I mean, bread, cake, and pastries go well with coffee. Why not make dough that actually has coffee in it? I ran across a recipe from Ideas in Food where chefs Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot share their endeavors in the kitchen. Here is the recipe for the coffee dough:
400 grams AP flour
15 grams freeze dried coffee
250 grams hot waterCombine the flour and the coffee in a medium sized bowl. Stir with a fork to blend, forming a well in the center of the flour. Pour the hot water into the well, stirring with the fork to form a soft dough,
Switch to your hands, pulling in the flour from the sides as you gently stir the ball of dough forming in the center. Once a ball has formed, begin the kneading process, giving it a quarter turn, folding the dough in half and pushing the center with the heel of your hand with each revolution. The dough will be quite sticky and will eventually absorb all of the flour. Once the dough begins to stiffen up, you can turn it out onto the counter with the excess flour and continue to knead until it is firm, smooth and only slightly tacky. You may need to add additional flour to reach this stage. By the time you are finished the dough should be just warm to the touch. Wrap loosely in plastic and let the dough rest for 30 minutes before rolling out the pasta.
Note, however, that this dough is meant to be made into pasta. Coffee in my bread, I think I have no qualms about but pasta? I am not so sure. What do you think? Shall you try this in your own kitchen?
Russian Coffee Cakes
The other day I went to visit a friend and naturally, we had coffee together. She makes a mean brew, let me tell you. She also served Russian coffee cake, which I think was absolutely scrumptious. Naturally, I wanted to try to make it. Unfortunately, it was just a gift and she didn’t know how to make the cake. So I went online to find recipes. I found one at Recipe Zaar. Let me share it with you and let’s see if we can bake a decent cake.
Ingredients
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk, scalded then cooled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 4 1/2-5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup blanched almond, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon vanillaIcing
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juiceDirections
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Stir in the next four ingredients, 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the almonds, raisins and vanilla. Beat until smooth then add in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.Turn dough onto a floured board or counter and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough into a greased bowl, turn to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Punch down dough and let rise again until almost doubled, about 40 minutes.
Divide dough in half and roll each half into a well rounded bun shape. Place each bun in a well greased
1 lb coffee can. Cover and let rise until the dough starts to puff up over the top of the cans, about 45 minutes.Bake at 375 degrees on a low rack in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until brown. Let cool slightly then remove from cans.
Mix together all of the icing ingredients and pour over the cakes letting some run down the sides.
I love how you use coffee cans instead of the conventional baking pans. It makes the recipe more “coffee-ish” don’t you think?
Photo courtesy of eekim
The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking
I am almost done with the book I have been reading for the past week so I thought it was time to search for some new interesting reads. I ran across this book on Google Book Search (as usual – I just love this Book Search!) and from what I have read in the preview, it looks like a good buy.
The book is quite short – a little over a hundred pages – and has 5 main chapters (introduction not included). The chapters are:
History
The Bean
The Roast
The Brew
Recipes
I think that The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking would be perfect for your coffee table – something to browse through on a lazy Sunday morning as you sip your cup of joe while watching TV or whatever else it is that you do on lazy Sunday mornings. There is a lot of information on coffee within the pages of the book and you can get a lot of ideas for unique meals using coffee.
On the other hand, I felt that something was lacking. Sorely missing were the most basic of information, like, how to make cappuccino, latter, and the like. I know, perhaps the authors purposely left information out in order to focus on the more advanced aspects of coffee but it would have been nice to have it in the book as well.
Anyhow, I am still thinking of whether or not to buy the book – we’ll see this weekend.
European Coffee
How do you like your coffee? Are you getting bored with your usual cup every morning? Here is a recipe for European coffee that I found on About.com. It is quite unusual, really, but I find the ingredients to be interesting. You can easily find the ingredients at any grocery store or supermarket.
So what do you need for a cup of European coffee? Here are the ingredients:
A cup of strong coffee – the stronger the better. You can brew this in the usual manner that you brew your coffee.
1 egg white – yes, an egg white. Don’t write this recipe off just yet!
¼ tsp vanilla extract – choose a really good brand so that you get the purest flavor.2 tbs half and half – this really depends on your taste. If you want whole milk then go ahead and use it. Skim milk will also work but the creaminess and taste will not be the same. If you’re health conscious, though, then half and half would be the happy medium between taste and health reasons.
What’s next? Once you have the ingredients all ready – it shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes to get them together, really – take the egg white and then beat it. Continue beating till you get soft peaks. You can use a manual egg beater so you don’t over do it. Once you get soft peaks, fold in the vanilla extract. This time, continue beating the mixture till you get stiff peaks. Now split the mixture into two cups and pour the hot coffee over the egg white mixture. Top the cups with a tablespoon of half and half for each.
Let me know how it goes!
Web Site In Focus: Coffee Cooks
I love to cook. It is one of the hobbies that I have that I like doing when I have time to spare. Oh, I cook everyday – it is a must, unless I want to spend tons of money eating out. But the best dishes that I have prepared are those I spent considerable time on and those that I have not rushed because I was late for work. That is why I was excited when I posted that entry on coffee marinated sirloin.
A reader of ours commented on that post and introduced me to a whole new world of cooking – one which involves coffee. Can you just imagine how excited I am right now? The web site is called Coffee Cooks and has a lot of recipes making use of coffee. More than that, though, you can find a lot of other information.
I browsed the site to find out more about what they have to offer and I have to say that I am left wanting more. There are several categories which one can browse – basics, breads, bars & cookies, cakes, desserts, drinks, main dishes, and greens. I was a bit disappointed that there were only a couple of recipes under each category, though. Maybe in the future, they will expand their collection and offer more.
One thing I think we should all try out this weekend is the Asian vinaigrette. I have never had a salad with the flavor of coffee and I don’t know how well that would mix but it sure is worth a try!
