Coffee Recipes for Home
You might also want to have on hand some powdered sugar or cocoa powder for decoration.
Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips in the microwave, and stir it every 15-30 seconds.
After it is smooth,let it cool for a minute, then mix in about 1/3 cup of the roasted coffee beans and stir.
With a spoon or fork, lay the coffee beans out on some wax paper on a tray, making sure they are all separated from each other.
Let them cool there, or put them in the freezer to speed things up. If you would like more chocolate on them, or just for looks, drizzle some white or other chocolate over them. Let them cool completely.
Separate them into a bowl or bag, and then dust them with powdered sugar or cocoa powder if you chose.
Chocolate covered coffee beans are a quick way to melt your 'special someone's' heart.
Iced Coffee
Ingredients
1 cup chilled brewed coffee, made double-strength or with 2 shots of a rich dark roast espresso
2 rounded tablespoons sugar (extra fine)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp genuine vanilla extract
2 cups ice
Combine the coffee, sugar, cream, vanilla and ice in a blender and blend until creamy
Additions:
Experiment by adding some of your favorite chocolate-based food into the blender. Try a chocolate biscuit (cookie), or some chocolate chips, or cocoa powder. Try adding a dash of whatever kind of flavored syrups you have. The basic drink is delicious, but additions are yummy too.
Makes: 2 large cups or coffee mugs
Coffee Milkshake
Ingredients:
2 scoops coffee ice cream
1 cup milk
2 shots espresso
2 tablespoons of Horlicks (malt mix) (optional)
whipped cream (optional garnish)
espresso beans (optional garnish)
Making a milkshake isn't brain surgery, just add ingredients and blend in a blender. Something to note is that the only difference between a malt and milkshake is malt mix (Horlicks), which you can buy at virtually any major grocery store.
Conclusion
This is a fantastic treat -- and it is so much better with great coffee ingredients. Good coffee is the key to true happiness.
I happen to make the best Irish Coffee in the world. I learned how to do this in a small meson in Madrid, but I have since gotten even better at it than the bartender at that establishment, where I studied long and hard under his tutelage.
The Recipe:
One Irish Coffee glass (preferably with shamrocks and a gold rim),
failing that, any smallish glass about 5 or 6 fl. oz.
One long shot of good espresso
Two fingers of decent Irish Whiskey (Jameson or Bushmills)
Two tablespoons brown sugar
FRESH heavy cream, laced with a dollop of white sugar, beaten until it's the consistency of custard, but not whipped to fluffiness. In Madrid they refer to this heavy thick sweet cream as "nata".
Procedure
Have everything prepared and ready before you start assembling as time is of the essence. Get your nata prepared and keep it nice and cold.
Pour the whiskey and brown sugar into the Irish Whiskey glass together.
Then use the espresso steamer to heat the whiskey until it is good and hot and the brown sugar is dissolved, about eight to ten seconds.
CAREFULLY put a match or lighter to the glass and flame the whiskey for a few seconds. This adds a "je ne sais quoi" to the flavor, and cuts down the alcohol, bringing the caffeine and alcohol into perfect balance.
Pull your shot, and dump it into the whiskey/brown sugar mixture. Between the espresso and the whiskey, your glass should be about 3/4 full (that's why you don't want to use a real big glass).
Carefully lay down a carpet of the "nata" over the warm coffee/whiskey mixture right to the top of the glass. Then, before the nata gets warmed up, enjoy the cool, rich cream juxtaposed against the hot, strong coffee/whiskey.
Personally, I find these very addictive and therefore don't drink them very often. New Year's was the last time. But I can guarantee that you will never taste a better Irish Coffee than by using this method. I've had Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista in San Francisco which claims to be the world's best, and it is a poor cousin to this one. The key is great espresso, the cool nata, and flaming the whiskey.
These can also be made with Spanish brandy, but I prefer to stick with the Irish coffee.
About The Author
Jim Slaughter is a homeroaster as well as an aficionado of Irish Coffee.