creative dessert ideas » 100CafeStreet.com

Espresso isn’t just a morning pick-me-up, but the popular beverage also has a place in the world of cooking and baking. Hot water forced through finely ground coffee at high pressure is how the darkly colored drink espresso is made. Originating in Italy, the coffee is typically served in small glasses or in “shots” measuring about one ounce. For instance, making the average latte or cappuccino calls for two shots of espresso.

Starbucks is not the only place that you can enjoy a hot cup of rich, dark espresso. Coffee lovers can make their own at home with an espresso maker, which differs from the regular coffeemaker. Outside of the beverage world, espresso can provide a distinct taste to dishes and desserts.

A few ideas for baking and cooking with espresso include:

Baking with Espresso

Adding a small amount of espresso to your typical dessert recipes can provide a different experience for your taste buds. A few ways to incorporate a coffee flavor for your next sweet treat include:

Espresso Biscotti: When making your favorite biscotti recipe, experiment with instant espresso powder. Start off by adding 1 teaspoon to your typical ingredients list and adjust according to your taste.

Espresso Brownies: Coffee lovers can add 2 tablespoons of espresso powder to any boxed brownie mix to enhance the taste of their next batch. If you like glazing your brownies with a powdered sugar coating, add 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to your recipe.

Espresso Sugar Cream Pie: After brushing the inside of an unbaked pie crust with melted butter, whisk together 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder until well blended. Pour the ingredients into the prepared pie crust. Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven until pie has set – about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool on a rack. Add one cup of chocolate whipped cream as piping for the edge of the pie.

Chocolate Espresso Cookies: Deliver an extra kick to your cookies with about 2 ¼ teaspoons of finely ground espresso beans added to your favorite chocolate cookie recipe.

Cooking with Espresso

There are also a variety of creative ways to incorporate espresso into some of your favorite meat-related dishes. For example, when you’re looking to shake things up for your next BBQ, consider serving Espresso Rubbed Barbecued Burgers, which are sprinkled with a mixture of espresso powder and freshly ground black pepper on both sides of the patties before grilling.

You could also make an Espresso-Bourbon Sauce to coat grilled meats, such as beef steaks. Combine 1/4 cup bourbon, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder in a small saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer the sauce uncovered for 8 minutes or until the sauce thickens and is reduced to about half. Occasionally stir and then add in 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Keep warm until grilled meat is ready for eating.

For a non-bake treat, consider Espresso Bark. First, combine 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon margarine in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 30-second stretches of time until the ingredients have melted and show a smooth consistency. Stir between each round of heating. Mix in 3/4 cup whole coffee beans. Pour the chocolate mix onto the waxed paper and create an even layer. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped white chocolate pieces onto the top of the chocolate. Lightly press the bark and place in freezer until set – around 5 minutes. Break the bark into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Nuts play an important role in the creation of delicious sweet treats – from the walnuts that add extra ‘ummph’ to chocolate chip cookies to brownies with hidden pecans. From Macadamia Nut Cookies to Almond Paste Cake, there are thousands of dessert recipes that incorporate nuts. When you’re looking for ideas on how to make your own nutty desserts, consider the following suggestions:

Pecans

Many of us already know that the sweet gooeyness of pecan pie is a staple dessert during the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometimes pecans are overlooked for their versatility in dessert making. However, the nut has found its way into a multitude of creative dessert recipes, especially in Southern baking. A couple of recipes include homemade caramel pecan ice cream, praline cheesecake, coconut pecan frosting, and pecan shortbread cookies. When looking to spice up a regular pecan pie recipe, try experimenting with chocolate and bourbon whiskey.

Walnuts

Walnuts can elevate the taste of cookies and brownies, but they also create delicious dessert combinations when paired with fruit. For example, you will find plenty of recipes that incorporate baked apples and walnuts. Some approaches may include dried fruits (like cranberries), while others may insert unsweetened shredded coconut. Nutmeg and cinnamon are popular spices added to the mix. When hot, serve baked apples with vanilla ice cream. In the morning, a cold baked apple makes a tasty breakfast when topped with vanilla yogurt.

Almonds

When creating desserts with almonds, you will find almond paste a delightful ingredient. For quicker results, you can purchase your paste from a store, while the more ambitious baker may prefer to create their own at home. Ground almonds and sugar are the two most significant ingredients in almond paste. A typical recipe may contain salt, almond extract, confectioner’s sugar, cooking oil, heavy cream, blanched almonds, and egg whites.

When baking, use almond paste to fill pastries (such as almond croissants) or add to homemade chocolate recipes. Some people also use the paste as a substitute for marzipan. In China, almond paste is used to create ‘sweetheart cakes,’ which also contain winter melon.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts make a flavorful filling for wafer cookies and enhance the taste of many dessert coffee recipes. To explore an uncommon hazelnut dessert, consider making a pudding out of the nuts. Start by mincing ½ pound of hazelnuts until they are the consistency of a powder. Heat 1 cup of cream until it reaches the point just before boiling. Add a bit of vanilla extract to flavor. Allow the cream to cool. Beat 8 ounces of unsalted butter until the mixture become pale and creamy. Stir in the hazelnuts, 8 ounces of powdered sugar, and 1 cup of cream. Line a mold with ladyfingers and add the hazelnut pudding. Chill well.

With Easter just around the corner, you don’t need the holiday to use jellybeans as an ingredient or decoration for your sweet treat creations. Keep in mind that kids aren’t the only ones that get a kick out of these colorfully sweet confections. From experimenting with the exotic flavors of Jelly Bellys to focusing on one flavor (like hot cinnamon) – there are plenty of ways to add a little pizzazz to your desserts, including the ones listed below:

Jellybean Rice Krispy Treats

These iconic chewy cereal bars usually contain Rice Krispies, but any crispy rice cereal will do. In a large microwave bowl, combine three tablespoons of butter and one 1-ounce package of marshmallows. Cook on high power for 3 minutes – stirring halfway during cooking time. Stir the mixture until smooth, and then add 5 cups of crispy rice cereal and 1-½ cups of assorted jellybeans. Stir until coated. Press the mixture into a buttered 13×9 pan. Cut into squares.

Biscotti with Jellybeans

Using jellybeans in a biscotti recipe isn’t something you see all the time, but some people will add the chewy sweets to their usual ingredient list. When your biscotti dough is very soft and sticky, add in a 13-ounce bag of assorted jellybeans.

Jellybean Cake

While some people choose to top their frosting with jellybeans to make a decorative exterior for their favorite cake recipes, others will insert jellybeans into the batter of their cake, which adds a chewy, sweet surprise in each slice. Browse the Internet for recipes, which include Jellybean Confetti Cake and Easter Angel Cake.

Sugary Nests for Jellybeans

Want to spice up the presentation of Easter jellybeans? Combine the crunchiness of Chinese noodles with melted marshmallows to create an attractive nest for your sweets. All you need is 2 cups of miniature marshmallows, ¼ cup of butter, and 4 cups of chow mein noodles. Melt the butter and marshmallows together in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture until everything has melted. Add in the chow mein noodles and stir well to coat with the buttery marshmallows. Grease your fingers and press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a prepared 12-cup muffin tin. Refrigerate until firm.

Jellybeans for Decoration

Using jellybeans as a decoration is a popular Easter dessert technique for cupcakes. Use the shape of the jellybeans to create the ears and nose of a sweet rabbit face, while using licorice for the whiskers. For a Halloween treat, black jellybeans come in handy for creating the body for ghoulish spiders on top of cakes and cupcakes.

Baking and Cooking with Espresso

Ideas for Desserts to Go Nuts Over

Using Jellybeans to Create Desserts

Advertisement

Advertisment

Websites We Like:

Link to us

Things to click on

Become a Fan!

About 100CafeStreet

Become a Fan!

Sister Sites

Support our Sponsor