FOR many of us the day just doesn't start until we've had our coffee fix.
Be it a creamy latté, decadent caramel macchiato or dark and intense espresso, coffee is one of the world's favourite beverages. But instead of drinking a cup of Joe, how about savouring the tantalizing flavour and aroma of fresh coffee in baked goods? Here are three yummy coffee-themed confections that, wouldn't you know it, taste fantastic with a steaming cup of your favourite brew.
Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream
You can find instant espresso powder in the tea and coffee aisle at large supermarkets.
11 ?3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ?3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup homogenized milk
½ cup strong brewed coffee
1½ tsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups icing sugar
1½ tsp vanilla
1½ tsp instant espresso powder
Mix the espresso powder with the brewed coffee; set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla; slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar alternately with the milk-coffee mixture, ending with flour mixture. Beat until well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups; bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on a wire rack for a few minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and place on rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the espresso buttercream mix together vanilla and espresso powder In a small bowl; stir until espresso dissolves; set aside. With the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high for five minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to low and add icing sugar a bit at a time, beating each addition in before adding more.
Once all of the sugar has been added, increase speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about two minutes. Add the espresso-vanilla mixture and beat in until completely incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as required. Frost cupcakes generously with a small offset spatula or pipe buttercream onto cupcakes with a piping bag. Makes 12.
HAZELNUT MOCHA CRUNCH COOKIES
¾ cup Nutella
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
2½ Tbsp instant coffee granules (not instant espresso)
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 2 ?3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts or almonds
1 cup roughly chopped milk or dark chocolate
½ cup Nutella
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With an electric mixer cream together the Nutella, butter and brown sugar for about five minutes. Mix the maple syrup and vanilla together; add instant coffee and stir to dissolve (you may need to microwave it for a few seconds to help coffee dissolve); add to the creamed mixture and beat until well combined. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; with mixer running at low speed add to creamed mixture gradually and beat until well combined, scraping bowl as needed. Gently stir in the nuts and chocolate.
Scoop by quarter-cups onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about three inches between scoops (because cookies spread); bake for eight to 11 minutes, depending on if you want chewy or crunchy cookies. Let cool on pan for five minutes then remove to wire racks to cool. Gently warm the half cup of Nutella in the microwave and drizzle over cookies. Makes about 20 big cookies.
CHOCOLATE CHIP ESPRESSO BARS
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze:
2 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp soft butter
¾ cup icing sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 10X15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter, brown sugar, espresso powder and vanilla until well combined.
Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips (dough will be crumbly). Press the dough firmly and evenly into the jelly roll pan. Bake for five minutes; rotate the pan, then cook for five to 10 minutes more until edges are just beginning to brown. Cool in the pan on wire rack for five minutes before spreading with glaze.
To make the glaze, place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk until smooth and slightly bubbly. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the bars and smooth out to edges with a spatula. Cool until the pan is just warm to the touch, then cut into bars. Makes about 36 bars.
