A delicious drink in and of itself, coffee can enhance a multitude of recipes in your collection. The flavor and aroma makes it perfect in everything from desserts to breakfast dishes. It is also delicious as a drink on ice on warm days, either as an afternoon treat or a cool way to start the day.
Coffee in Recipes
Coffee recipes get jolts from either brewed coffee, freshly ground beans, or instant espresso powder. No matter how your coffee ends up in the dish, it is sure to make it taste fabulous!
Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong coffee
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon ground coffee
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the ingredients thoroughly.
- Chill the mixture and transfer it to your ice cream maker.
- Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Easy Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup freshly ground espresso
- 4 cups cold, filtered water
- Ice cubes
- Cream or sugar, optional
Instructions
- Pour the espresso into a 4-cup French press.
- Pour the water on top of the espresso, and stir the mixture once or twice so the grounds distribute evenly.
- Put the top on the French press, but don't plunge the coffee mixture.
- Chill the press for at least 4 hours or (preferably) overnight.
- When you're ready to drink the coffee, plunge the press, pour a cup into a mug filled with ice cubes, and add cream or sugar as desired.
Cappuccino Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe of your favorite frosting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or place a liner in each cup.
- Whisk the flour, sugars, instant espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the cooled coffee, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until the batter is uniformly moistened.
- Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.
- When the muffins are cool enough to remove from the pan, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost, if desired.
History of Coffee
Coffee use has a long, rich history. After people began using the coffee plant in Ethiopia during the ninth century, its popularity spread through Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Coffee is now harvested in countries including Colombia, Brazil, and Indonesia. The plants from each region have their own distinctive taste, and coffee beans are often blended to reach a desired flavor.
During the mid-1600s, coffee was more prized for its stimulating effects than for its taste. Apothecaries stocked the bean for medicinal uses, which ranged from ridding the body of bad humors to preventing plague.
In the 17th century, people began preparing recipes with coffee and discovered that its stimulating properties transferred to the final products, ranging from cakes to cookies to sweet drinks. Coffee bars sprung up in major cities, and are on still found on many city blocks today.
Creative Coffee Uses
Coffee is much more than your morning breakfast drink. Use coffee in creative ways, from enhancing desserts to spicing up your favorite steak rub.
