When I was a child I loved to drink smoothies on hot summer days. While I may have been looking for a dose of sugar in my smoothie my palate gradually expanded to look for the addition of caffeine. Two double espressos combined with protein powder, banana, cocoa powder, and milk proved to be the perfect combination. (This is not a Starbucks frappuccino) Branching out from the cycle of my usual morning drip coffee, I started making the mocha banana protein shake each morning as a fast and easy way to get me out the door with enough sustenance to get me through a rigorous workout. When I was training to prepare to play collegiate water polo these drinks fueled me for my morning workouts and sustained me until lunch.
When I was growing up, mom was always adding coffee and tea to different recipes, so I thought I would write a blog about this idea. We know that the interest in specialty coffee has reached an all-time high. Coffee is being included in a wide range of products and new markets, especially with RTD Ready to Drink - Cold Brew, etc. which further expands its uses as a global commodity. This has increased significantly over the past twenty years. Coffee is the second largest commodity in the world behind oil. Presently, we have chefs that use our coffee and tea in ice cream, sorbets, chocolates and even in rubs when cooking meats, thank you Chef Sean Andrade for this delicious rub recipe. Take a closer look at our blog on the history of tea (which is noticeably quite similar to the history of coffee). The blog Tea Throughout Time explains the origins of both coffee and tea and its journeys along the Silk Road in the 1400’s to it being delivered to your front door in 2019. The changes in the consumption of coffee and tea continue to this day.
For instance, you might be used to having coffee in your ice cream or a classic tiramisu, but did you know coffee uses expand to an even broader palate? In our blog 4 Energy Bites with Coffee, we take a look at four different delicious energy bite recipes. These coffee packed snacks will get your day going. Incorporating oats and rich nutty flavors these caffeinated treats work perfectly for a person on a busy schedule, whether you are trying to get to work or just getting ready to go for a run. If you’re like me sometimes it's difficult to make a full breakfast before work or school, but these energy bites are easy to make and store well in the fridge. I make a large batch for the entire week and have a ready to go as a healthy snack. Coffee and its caffeine properties mix with the protein make the energy bites a mini-meal or a precursor to a bigger meal to follow.
If the energy bites don’t fuel you with enough caffeine add a delicious cup of Weaver’s Coffee to go along with your protein-filled snack. Proving that coffee works well as an assistant in the kitchen try making some mocha chip cookies. If you’re looking for a hardier meal you could try incorporating coffee grounds into a dry rub at your next family barbecue. The distinct flavor of coffee can be brought out, expanded upon, and rediscovered through the various forms in the kitchen or on the grill. Next time you want to change up your cooking with a little more flavor try using Weaver’s Coffee or Weaver's Tea in your cooking.
We pulled together a few favorite coffee-infused treats for the season. Now instead of having to go buy that six-dollar slice of tiramisu cake from your local Italian restaurant, you can make tiramisu from your kitchen at a fraction of a cost with even better ingredients from the tiramisu recipe. I know that the rich flavor of a delicious tiramisu is deadly on both the bank and the stomach but by making the best tiramisu recipe at home one of these two issues (not the abs, unfortunately) is remedied.
Below you can find a highly recommended tiramisu recipe by Valerie Bertinelli who is a Food Network Star. Take the time to make her delicious tiramisu recipe and you might stop going to your neighborhood Italian restaurant altogether.
TIRAMISU
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups brewed espresso coffee
1/3 cup coffee liqueur
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry Marsala
16 ounces mascarpone
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 40 crisp ladyfinger cookies (12 ounces)
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the espresso, coffee liqueur, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup Marsala and 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Beat the mascarpone in a bowl to loosen it up, then set aside.
- Beat the cream, vanilla, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining tablespoon Marsala together in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream mixture.
- Working one at a time, briefly dunk half of the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture and use them to line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, breaking or trimming the cookies as necessary. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly on top. Dunk and arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone, then spread with the remaining mascarpone.
- Cover the tiramisu and refrigerate until the ladyfingers have softened and the flavors have blended, at least 5 hours and preferably overnight. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/valerie-bertinelli/tiramisu-7134307
MOCHA CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (218g) plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornflour/cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) caster/granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons instant coffee granules*
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 cup (175g) chocolate chips, and some extra for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, and line a baking tray with parchment paper, or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cornflour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of instant coffee granules. Set aside.
- Whisk together the butter and sugars until combined. Add the egg and mix until combined.
- Dissolve the remaining 2 tablespoons of instant coffee granules in 1 tablespoon of hot water, then add to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Roll the dough into 1.5oz balls, about 17 balls, place on the prepared baking tray, and press the extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Do not over-bake. Allow it to cool on the baking tray for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTES
*Use a coffee you absolutely love to drink! The taste is everything in this recipe. If you'd like a weaker coffee taste, skip the 2 tablespoons of coffee in the dry ingredients.
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookie dough balls can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for an extra minute.
https://marshasbakingaddiction.com/chocolate-chip-mocha-cookies/
https://weaverscoffee.com/blogs/blog/what-is-the-best-coffee