coffee Archives - Page 2 of 3

Coffee Cake

11|03|2017

Coffee is one of those things that is indispensable to me. Of course, I’m not alone. My morning begins only when I’ve taken a sip from my favourite mug. Admittedly, I have been late in joining the coffee-drinkers club (only after I moved to Australia) but the love for coffee flavoured desserts dates back to my early baking days. It started with the first time I tasted mocha truffles and grew with the discovery of the Tiramisu. But this one is different. nothing fancy. You can call it a Coffee flavoured Coffee Cake.

This is a moist, not too rich cake with a strong taste of coffee which is what I was after. Unless there’s enough coffee flavour in there, you really can’t taste it. Then I am happy drinking coffee. Why bother adding it to a cake? So after a few trials I came up with this recipe that I was finally happy with (because you don’t want it to taste bitter either). It is quite easy to put together, actually everything is mixed in one bowl. To dress it up I just piped some whipped cream (that has also been infused with coffee) and topped the cake with chocolate shards. I think there is no better pairing with Coffee than chocolate. You can also glaze the Coffee cake with chocolate ganache if you don’t feel like making the chocolate shards. It’s delicious either way.

The Chocolate shards are not difficult to make. I am sharing a video that I found on YouTube. If you are making it for the first time, use a little quantity of chocolate to just have a go. Once you get a hang of it, you’ll find it hard to stop. It is a great way of dressing up your desserts and cakes.
Have a lovely weekend guys! I am so pumped up to bake with the weather cooling down bit by bit every day.

Coffee Cake
Makes a 6 inch round cake

1 tbsp heaped instant coffee powder
1/4 cup boiling water
125 g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
11/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan forced ovens). Grease the base and sides of a 6 inch round cake pan and line the base with baking paper. Add the coffee to the boiling water and mix till blended.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter together with the brown sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add the coffee, flour, Greek yogurt and milk and mix to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave aside for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the sides of cake gradually to loosen it and turn it out on to a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled completely, decorate with sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa. Alternatively glaze the cake with chocolate ganache. Top with chocolate shards.

Coffee Caramel Creme Brulee

17|04|2015

The Google searches initiated from my laptop, which are normally recipe oriented, since Easter are looking a bit like this ‘how to keep kids busy during school holidays?’ ‘ Apps for young children’ ‘ways to entertain kids’ and so on. Yes, I almost feel guilty having to kook them up but these vacations are a whole new thing for me. Google came up with 15,800,000 results. Yay! So, I am not alone! There are Pinterest boards on that topic too. I am finding comfort in solidarity!

Despite cooking many new dishes, I hardly got around to photographing anything. I just didn’t have the heart to make the boys wait for food while it was being dressed up and photos taken. I have done that before but now it just didn’t seem fair. It’s been awesome having them around and cooking warm lunches for them but keeping them busy whilst managing my own to-do list is an art that I am yet to master.

These Creme Brulees are perfect little treats for a busy scenario because they are so easy to make. Keep them in the refrigerator and grab one when you have a sweet craving or need a small feel-good after the kids have gone to bed. I love coffee in desserts and this one is addictive.
If you do not own a blow torch, just place the custard under a preheated grill for 2-3 minutes. However, don’t let it sit there for too long as it might overcook the custard.

Coffee Caramel Creme Brulee

2 1/2 cups single/pouring/thin cream
21/2 tsp instant coffee granules
7 egg yolks,
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tsp caster sugar

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Place six ramekins in a large baking tray or roasting pan.
Place the cream in a small saucepan and heat, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through (don’t let the cream boil). Remove from heat. Add the coffee and stir till blended.

Meanwhile: place the egg yolks and brown sugar in a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Gradually add in the warm coffee-cream mixture while stirring constantly with a fork. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a large jug, then pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins.

Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to reach half of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until mixture is just set. Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking tray. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or until chilled.

When ready to serve, divide caster sugar evenly over the top of the custard in the ramekins. Using a blowtorch, caramelize the sugar till golden brown.

Tira-Mess. When Tiramisu met Eton Mess…

26|12|2014

This is the most decadent, delicious and to-die-for dessert I have made this year. The year is just about over so there is great scope that the statement will remain unchanged. I think the holiday eating has just started and before we move on to detox smoothies and leafy green salads, there’s enough reason to end the year on a sweet note. Yes?

This Tiramisu inspired dessert has the flavours of the Tiramisu combined with crispy meringue and vanilla ice cream making it the perfect ‘Mess-y’ treat that you can put together quickly and without having to worry about perfection. The perfection here is the ‘Mess’ that consists of Chocolate swirl coffee meringue, Mascarpone cheese, Vanilla Ice cream and Mocha sauce. All you do is just make the meringue and layer the ingredients in glasses. The taste is totally reminiscent of the Tiramisu. And I haven’t even come to the most amazing part…because we are replacing the sponge fingers with coffee meringues, it becomes a gluten free treat that you can make for friends and family who avoid flour.

If you have never made meringue before, worry not! We are not looking for perfect exteriors or beautifully piped swirls. You just whip the egg whites to stiff peaks (when the meringue peaks holds shape as you lift the beaters), gently fold in the coffee and chocolate and bake. This can be done up to a day in advance and stored in air tight containers. Our weather is really warm at the moment so I made it the same morning before assembling. The recipe is just so forgiving. Even if your meringues don’t turn out great and are more marshmallow-y than crispy (like my first batch turned out), it won’t make a difference in the taste at all.

Make yourself this little treat this year. I can tell you, you deserve it!

Tira-Mess
Serves 2

10 Chocolate Swirl Coffee Meringue, whole or crushed (recipe below)
3/4 cup Mascarpone Cheese, (room temperature) mixed with 2 tbsp castor sugar till smooth
3/4 cup vanilla ice cream
Mocha sauce (recipe below)

Place 2 of the meringues at the base of the serving glasses. Spoon half the Mascarpone over the meringues. Add half the vanilla ice cream. Pour some Mocha sauce. Repeat once more till you reach the top of the serving glass.

Chocolate Swirl Coffee Meringue (Makes approx 10)

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup castor sugar (superfine sugar)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
1 tsp instant coffee powder
50 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 160 degree C (140 degrees for fan-forced) . Line a baking tray with baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the egg white and cream of tartar (if using) in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in the coffee powder.

Drizzle with chocolate sauce and gently scoop up meringue with a tablespoon and place them on the prepared tray, leaving space between each meringue.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes until crisp. Turn oven off. Leave meringues in the oven, with door ajar, for 1 hour to cool completely.

Mocha Sauce

100 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup single/pouring cream
1 tsp instant coffee powder

To make the mocha sauce, place the dark chocolate, thickened cream and coffee in a medium saucepan over low heat.

Use a metal spoon to stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temparature. Store excess in refrigerator and warm up before serving.

Harris Coffee, a Mocha Mud Cake and a Give Away

29|05|2014

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, however the opinions expressed are honest and entirely my own. This post is brought to you by Nuffnang and Harris Coffee.

Do you believe in ‘waking up and smelling the coffee’? Or are you like me..the other way round? That’s right! I need to smell my coffee to wake up. A freshly brewed cup of coffee is what it takes to get me moving in the morning. And sometimes during the day too.

Admittedly, I am no coffee connoisseur. Neither am I addicted. But I do appreciate a good cup of coffee. If I trust something to kick start my day, it has to be great, doesn’t it? By that I mean, coffee that not only tastes great but is of a superior quality, crafted and handled by experts and produced locally. Why local? Because local means it’s source is known to me, the processes it goes through are familiar to me and the coffee beans have travelled fewer miles to reach my cup.

All of Harris’ beans are roasted and blended in Australia which drastically enhances everything about the bean, including the taste, quality and freshness, shelf-life and flavour dynamic. With great reverence for the bean, Harris takes considered care from bean to cup and the Master Roaster and Blender is part of the process every step of the way. And they have been doing so over the last 130 years to suit Australian tastes.

The Harris range consists of both ground coffee and fresh beans in six varieties- Espresso, Premium, Black Label, Signature Blend, Reserve Colombian and Decaffeinated. There’s one to suit every kind of taste. Isn’t that amazing?

My personal favourites are the Signature Blend and the Premium. To check out the Harris range and for more information, visit http://harriscoffee.com.au

It’s not hard to get your caffeine fix at your local coffee shop or espresso bar. But the truth is that it can turn out to be an expensive habit especially if you are used to drinking several cups in a day. Don’t get me wrong! I do enjoy a bit of latte art on my cuppa but I certainly won’t nurse a habit when I know I could be potentially blowing away hundreds of dollars on something that I can experience at my own convenience, within my own kitchen and more importantly that suits my personal taste.
Harris Coffee offers carefully crafted locally roasted blends that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, so can make the perfect cuppa for a fraction of the price.

Here are a few useful tips to make the perfect cup of coffee at home that Daniel Vergnano, Harris Master Roaster and Blender has shared with us. I have to say that these tips have helped to create a world of difference in my coffee.

1.   It all starts with the machine. Whether you are using a plunger, percolator, grinder or espresso machine, you need to understand what works best for what you have!
2.    From there, it’s all about the bean. The beans need to be fresh, and the grind has to be perfect for your machine. If you’re grinding, only put the amount of beans you plan to use at the top of the grinder, and don’t grind them until just before you’re about to extract the coffee – it’s best to use your coffee grinds within 10mins of grinding them, to keep them fresh. If you are using a plunger or percolator, grind your beans coarsely. This is key – if your grind isn’t big enough, your coffee will be over-extracted and will be too bitter.
3.    Always use fresh coffee – rather than buy in bulk, buy in small quantities, as this drastically changes the taste
4.    Heat up your cup, but keep your milk cold! The colder your milk, the longer you will have to get the spin required from a steamer (if using) to make those creamy, thick micro bubbles. To heat your cup, fill it with boiling water before making coffee to pre heat it.
5.    For a plunger, scoop your coffee into the plunger and heat your water separately. You should use around 15mL (1 tablespoon) coffee for about 90mL water (you can adjust to your taste though).
It’s better to use full cream milk – light or skim doesn’t have enough protein, but the key is to make sure you don’t over heat it. The ideal temperature is around 60 degrees, anything over that will get a ‘burnt’ flavour
6.   Keep your equipment clean! Wipe it down thoroughly between each use and wash it regularly
7. It’s best to store your coffee in an opaque, air-tight container in a dark, cool and dry place, like a pantry. Try and keep it away from moisture, especially wet spoons.
8. Don’t refrigerate or freeze your beans because it will affect the coffee’s oils and absorb flavours from other foods

The lovely people at Harris Coffee have decided to give away a Harris Coffee pack to one lucky reader of Sugar et al. This would include

Harris Espresso Ground 200g
Harris Premium Beans 500g
Harris Black Label Ground 200g
Harris Signature Blend ground 200g
Harris Reserve Colombian Beans 1kg

To be eligible you have to be 14 years or above and have an Australian address. To win the coffee pack, all you have to do is

a)‘Like’ the Sugar et al page on Facebook.
b)’Like’ the Harris Coffee page on Facebook
c)Leave a comment below in 2 or 3 sentences before 6th June 2014, how you would best enjoy a cup of Harris Coffee.

The entry with the most creative answer will be selected as the winner and announced on 10th^th June 2014. Please do ensure you leave a valid email address for me to contact you if you win.
View terms and conditions of the giveaway here. Good Luck!

Now, let’s talk about cake which is my favourite way of enjoying Harris Coffee at home. A double dose of coffee, basically… in my cup and in the cake. There are several ways of using coffee other than drinking it and one amongst that is to use it is cakes and desserts. This mud cake is not only easy to make (all you need is a bowl and a whisk), it celebrates coffee and chocolate and is perfect for someone who loves coffee. So, as you can imagine, the flavour will depend entirely on the quality of coffee and chocolate used. A good quality coffee like Harris Coffee is necessary to make a fantastic mocha mud cake. You can skip the ganache if you want to keep things simple but it only takes a couple of minutes

Mocha Mud cake with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting (Mud cake recipe adapted with variation from Taste.com)
Serves 12

250g butter, chopped
200 g good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
11/4 cup freshly brewed strong Harris coffee
11/4 cup castor sugar (or more depending on the strength of the coffee you are using)
2 eggs, lightly whisked
300 g (2 cups) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Chocolate ganache, for icing (recipe below)
10-12 vanilla flavoured marshmallows, to decorate

Chocolate Ganache

200ml pure (thin) cream
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20 cm round cake pan with baking paper.

Place butter, chocolate and Harris Coffee in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Add sugar and egg, and use a wire balloon whisk to whisk until well combined. Sift flour and baking powder over chocolate mixture and stir with the whisk until well combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake (cover with non-stick baking paper halfway through cooking if it browns too quickly). Remove from oven and set aside for 1 hour to cool.

Once cooled pour the Chocolate Ganache over the cake. Place marshmallows on top. Using a blow torch toast the marshmallows.

To make the chocolate ganache : Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour over the hot cream. Stir together until melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before pouring over the cake.