Travel for Food Hub The Food Blog for Travel Lovers
Last Updated on November 18, 2023
A day without a coffee is a wasted day! Ok, the original quote doesn’t sound like this, but you’ll agree that ours is truthful and better. Nowadays, coffee has become a daily staple. For those of us that need our coffee fix, it’s a drink we consume and enjoy, 365 days a year. And best of all, you can enjoy coffee with every meal of the day. What’s more you can add some coffee into your recipes to make great tasting, coffee dessert recipes.
Speak to any coffee snob and they’ll tell you that the most classical coffee drink is espresso. But there is one catch – you need to be a master to pull the perfect shot. If you’ve mastered the art of making a great espresso, simply add a little bit to your desserts, and your guests will be in for a treat.
So, let’s start by getting to know our espresso.
TAKEAWAY: Espresso is a coffee drink that originated in Italy in the 20th century. It is also the name of the brewing process. The crema you get on top of your espresso is a good indicator of the freshness of your coffee beans. If they are fresh, you should expect the crema to last 3-5 minutes.
For incredible espresso, the most important thing is a high quality coffee machine. If you’re thinking of buying a machine for under $200, think again; you’re better off saving for longer until you can afford a high quality machine. Personally, I have a Rancilio Silvia – this site sums up well why it’s my espresso machine of choice. It makes prosumer level espresso at a consumer level price. Anyway, I could go on about espresso machines all day, but the good folks at Reddit do a much better job.
Moving swiftly along, to start making some tantalisingly tasty desserts, you will first need some good quality ingredients and a willingness to experiment with them. Let’s start with the coffee:
Steps of the process:
- Ensure you have a clean portafilter basket. This is crucial. Make sure that no leftover oils are on the basket as these can alter the taste of your shots.
- Dose the correct amount of coffee. I recommend 10g for a single shot or 18g if you’re making a double.
- Grind the coffee, place in the portafilter and tamp it evenly.
- Insert the portafilter and pull your shot.
Once you have enough espresso for your recipe, clean the machine and portafilter.
Now that you have a perfect espresso, let’s find out how to make some amazing coffee desserts.
1. Tiramisu
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Tiramisu is a Italian dessert that doesn’t need to be baked. It’s easy to make and can be finished in 30 minutes, but there is a lot of preparation work. Don’t worry, it will pay off in the end, I promise!
This dessert has only two layers:
- Creamy layer with mascarpone cheese
- Espresso-Dipped Ladyfingers layer
Of course, you can finish it with a layer of dark chocolate or cocoa, I’ll leave that part to you.
Ingredients
- Ladyfingers or any other biscuit
- Mascarpone
- Espresso
- Eggs
- Sugar
How to make Tiramisu
Beat the egg whites to fluffiness. After that, make a creamy mix of mascarpone and sugar. The next step is to blend these two parts into one. Dip the ladyfingers into espresso and put them on a plate. The next layer is mascarpone cream. Repeat layering once again. Dust the cake with cocoa or grated chocolate. Put it in the fridge for a couple of hours (best would be to leave it overnight) to cool down. If you liked it, check out the more detailed recipe.
2. Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs
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Winter is knocking on our doors. We can feel the festive atmosphere and our mood is getting better as we’re decorating the Christmas three. Add some of these chocolate espresso snowballs to that picture and you’ll be in heaven.
Ingredients
-
- 1/4 cup of cocoa
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 2 sticks softened butter
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- Pinch of salt
How to make Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs
For the start, mix the sugar, butter and vanilla until it becomes a smooth paste. Add the espresso, flour, salt and cocoa. Blend it all together, then add pecans. Put the paste in the fridge for one hour. After one hour of sitting, use your hands to shape the dough into bite sized balls. Bake them at 300 degrees for half an hour. For a Christmassy finishing touch, roll them in flaked coconut or even sugar if you fancy something a little sweeter.
3. The Affogato
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The Affogato is a very simple Italian coffee-based dessert. Although, for some people, it isn’t in that category. For them, it is just a coffee drink.
The Affogato is a creamy blend of two fantastic flavours – vanilla ice cream and espresso. For me, it combines my after-meal coffee and dessert, into one delicious drink.
Ingredients
- Espresso
- Chocolate crackers
- Chocolate
- Almonds
- Ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chopped dark chocolate
How to make the Affogato
Put a few spoons of ice cream in a cup. Smash crackers and add them together with the ice cream. Make an espresso and pour it over the combination of ice cream and crackers. You can sprinkle it with anything that you like, although I find it works best with chopped dark chocolate. You can even add Matcha.
Hacks for perfect Affogato
- Cool down your cup before serving. In that way, the hot espresso will not immediately melt the ice cream.
- Add dessert wine to give it a different twist.
- Use different nuts to add some texture and flavour.
You may also like: 10 Most Popular European Coffees
Conclusion
Coffee is super interesting as a drink, but even more so when added as a flavoring to desserts. A shot of espresso can be a delightful addition to all sorts of recipes, whether you prefer cakes, cookies or something other tasty treat. Coffee is easy to add to recipes and is both fun and interesting to play around with.
So, feel free to research and find your own favorite espresso desserts. Maybe find one of your old favorites, add a shot or 2 of freshly pulled espresso, and see how it goes. It doesn’t matter if it’s cheesecake, ice cream or gingerbread. Coffee goes great with most flavors, so experiment and find something you enjoy eating.
Don’t forget that a day without espresso deserts is a wasted day!
You may also enjoy reading 20 Top Staple Foods From Around The World – Infographic
