Showing posts with label Decadent Desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decadent Desserts. Show all posts
Coffee Bean Cookies. I saw these cookies earlier this week on a blog called One Happy Bite. I thought that they were really cute!
They look just like coffee beans! I don't drink coffee, but I am not opposed to eating it. I love the flavor of it in cakes and cookies, and I especially love the flavor of coffee mixed with chocolate! And I tend to keep some good coffee in for guests coming over, which makes these the perfect combo."
Not only were these cookies combining those two loves of mine, ie. chocolate and coffee, but they were cute, cute, cute!
I put them on my "To Bake" list!
The recipe makes about 40 smallish, bite-sized cookies. Soft and almost shortbread textured, they have a rich coffee flavor with a hint of chocolate.
I loved that they were not overly sweet. Which is what you would expect from a shortbread kind of a cookie. Mine did not turn out quite as cute as hers did, but I still thought they were cute, and what's more they had a very moreish texture and flavor.
As I said, I do not drink coffee. It is due to a health law in my church called the Word of Wisdom. We are not supposed to drink regular tea or coffee, but it says nothing about eating it.
As with anything it is open to individual interpretation. I do not drink it, but I do allow myself to eat foods flavored with it. There are some who won't, and that is fine.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE COFFEE BEAN COOKIES
Just ordinary simple ingredients.
- 1 TBS instant coffee granules
- 2 tsp milk
- 1 cup cake flour (140g) see note
- 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 large free range egg yolk
- 7 TBS icing sugar (57g)
Note - If you do not have cake flour you can make your own. Measure out one cup of flour, remove 2 TBS and replace with 2 TBS of cornstarch.
I just used regular salted butter for my cookies. The original recipe called for unsalted butter, but I don't keep unsalted butter in my kitchen as a rule. I just use regular butter.
Corn starch is what they call corn flour in the UK. Cocoa powder is not drinking chocolate. It is unsweetened cocoa powder which has specifically designed to use in baking and cooking. There is no sugar or milk added such as is added to hot cocoa powder.
The two are NOT the same thing or interchangeable.
You will not need the white from the egg, but it doesn't need to be wasted. Egg whites freeze very easily.
I freeze them in ice cube trays and then pop them into a zip lock baggie, ready to be thawed and used for meringues or anything else that you will need only the egg whites.
HOW TO MAKE COFFEE BEAN COOKIES
These are very easy to make, but do bear in mind that the unbaked cookies have to chill in the refrigerator for an hour before baking. Because of this, don't preheat your oven until just prior to baking.
Place the milk in a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir in the coffee granules until fully dissolved. Set aside.
Place the butter into a bowl. Beat together with the icing sugar until creamy, then beat in the egg yolk until pale in color. Beat in the coffee until evenly distributed.
Roll the dough into a long log. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Using the palm of your hands shape into oval shapes, resembling a coffee bean. Place onto a large baking sheet which you have lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. (I left about 2 inches between each cookie but they really don't spread a lot.)
Press down the center of each cookie with the dull side of a butter knife or a toothpick to make an impression like the center of a coffee bean.
Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to chill for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes.
Cool and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
I was so tempted to dust these with some icing sugar, but I restrained myself. They might have been prettier with the icing sugar, but then they wouldn't have really looked like coffee beans!
I remember seeing a guy walking around the grocery store once upon a time eating coffee beans. I can't think of anything less palatable, but maybe it is a cultural thing?
I could not eat a real coffee bean, but I can tell you I will quite happily munch on these tasty cookies! I can imagine they would go very well with a hot drink!
Coffee Bean Cookies
Yield: 40 small cookies
Prep time: 1 H & 15 MCook time: 14 MinTotal time: 1 H & 29 M
Bite sized chocolate cookies with a rich coffee flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 TBS instant coffee granules
- 2 tsp milk
- 1 cup cake flour (140g) see note
- 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 large free range egg yolk
- 7 TBS icing sugar (57g)
Instructions
- Place the milk in a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir in the coffee granules until fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Place the butter into a bowl. Beat together with the icing sugar until creamy, then beat in the egg yolk until pale in color. Beat in the coffee until evenly distributed.
- Sift together the flour, corn starch, and cocoa powder. Stir into the butter mixture until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Finish by using your hands to knead, mix and press the dough together until smooth.
- Roll the dough into a long log. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Using the palm of your hands shape into oval shapes, resembling a coffee bean. Place onto a large baking sheet which you have lined with baking paper or a silicone mat.
- Press down the center of each cookie with the dull side of a butter knife or a toothpick to make an impression like the center of a coffee bean.
- Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to chill for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/160*C/ gas mark 3.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool and enjoy.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Thank you so much for visting! Do come again!
I feel like Flip Wilson saying this, but "The Devil made me bake them!"' Yes, these Rocky Road Brownie Bites are naughty, naughty, naughty!
You can look at this as either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how much willpower you have, but the recipe makes only four decadently delicious, fudgy Rocky Road Brownie Bites.
Yes, only four, which makes them perfect for the smaller family, couples or singletons. It also makes them perfect for a small ladies luncheon where you don't want any leftovers of their decadence hanging around afterwards to tempt you!
I can tell you that they are absolutely delicious. Rich and fudgy with plenty of chocolate flavor in that dense Brownie base. And the topping is just sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy chocolatey as well.
Together, I declare them quite, quite irresistible, especially if you are a chocolate lover! And I do so love a good chocolate bake.
I have adapted the recipe from one I found in the cookbook Dessert for Two, by Christina Lane. If you are a singleton like myself, or a couple living on your own, I highly recommend this book for small desserts.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE BITES
Nothing too far out of the ordinary. Simple baking store cupboard ingredients. At least my baking store cupboard anyways!
For the brownie bases:
- 3 TBS (45g) butter
- 7 TBS (88g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (28g) cocoa powder, sifted
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large free range egg
- 3 TBS (22.5g) plain all purpose flour
For the Rocky Road Topping:
- 2 ounces (56 oz) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 TBS (15g) butter
- 1 TBS (15ml) honey (can use corn syrup or golden syrup)
- 1/4 cup (39g) roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1/4 cup (14g) mini marshmallows
If you are a lover of Brownies, you are going to absolutely adore these. The brownies themselves have the perfect brownie denseness. You can easily pick them up in your hands to eat them.
I remember being on a cooking show in the UK one time and they made brownies. Runny chocolate sludge is what they made.
That is not a brownie to my way of thinking. That is a mess. You should be able to hold a brownie in your hands. It should be neither too wet, nor too dry, but somewhere in the middle.
That rocky road topping is a perfect mix of sweet, salty, chocolate, crunchy, chew! Rich and delicious.
Finger lickingly messy to eat, but lip-smackingly good at the same time. You will not regret the messy melted chocolate fingers. Trust me on this!
HOW TO MAKE ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE BITES
Nothing could be easier. I like to start by making my rocky road. That way it can set up perfectly for when the brownies are done and baked.
Prepare a small sheet pan by lining it with either wax paper or a silicone mat.
Combine the chocolate chips, butter and honey in a small bowl. You can either melt this over simmering water, or in the microwave at 50%. (Mine took 30 seconds in my microwave.)
Stir to completely melt and amalgamate. It will be shiny. Stir in the peanuts and marshmallows. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Set aside to harden. (You can place in the refrigerator if you wish.)
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 4 muffin cups very well. (Don't use paper liners.)
Combine the butter, sugar, and sifted cocoa powder in a small bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Remove from the microwave and whisk together until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Stir for about a minute to cool down, then whisk in the egg. Whisk in the flour, until smooth and well combined (about 50 strokes). This also helps to aerate them.
Divide the batter equally amongst the buttered muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes.
Break or cut the rocky road into large pieces. Set on top of each warm brownie bite pressing gently. Set aside to cool completely.
She allowed the brownies to cool completely before adding the topping. I added the topping while they were still a bit warm as I felt that the topping would adhere better.
Uh Oh! Did I do that??? That's one problem about living on your own. There really is nobody else to blame for anything!!
Rocky Road Brownie Bites
Yield: 4 brownie bites
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Tasty brownie bites topped with crunchy, chewy, chocolaty, rocky road. Very yummilicious!!
Ingredients
For the brownie bites:
- 3 TBS (45g) butter
- 7 TBS (88g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (28g) cocoa powder, sifted
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large free range egg
- 3 TBS (22.5g) plain all purpose flour
For the Rocky Road Topping:
- 2 ounces (56 oz) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 TBS (15g) butter
- 1 TBS (15ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (39g) roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1/4 cup (14g) mini marshmallows
Instructions
- First make the rocky road. Prepare a small sheet pan by lining it with waxed paper or a silicone mat. Combine the chocolate chips, butter and honey in a small bowl. You can either melt this over simmering water, or in the microwave at 50%. (Mine took 30 seconds in my microwave.)
- Stir to completely melt and amalgamate. It will be shiny. Stir in the peanuts and marshmallows. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Set aside to harden. (You can place in the refrigerator if you wish.)
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 4 muffin cups very well. (Don't use paper liners.)
- Combine the butter, sugar, and sifted cocoa powder in a small bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
- Remove from the microwave and whisk together until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Stir for about a minute to cool down, then whisk in the egg. Whisk in the flour, until smooth and well combined (about 50 strokes). This also helps to aerate them.
- Divide the batter equally amongst the buttered muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Break or cut the rocky road into large pieces. Set on top of each warm brownie bite pressing gently. Set aside to cool completely.
Thank you so much for visting! Do come again!
I was looking for a quick and easy dessert the other day. I haven't been feeling too well this week and I was really wanting something that was comforting and delicious and that wouldn't require a lot of time and effort on my part.
If you are a purist you probably should look away now because this is going to push all your buttons. It is a huge cheat of a dessert in comparison to the real thing, but I am posting it anyways because there may be a few people out there who, like me, want a delicious dessert that isn't going to take oodles of time or ingredients!
Banana Pudding is a delicious dessert usually attributed to the South of America, consisting of a rich vanilla custard layered in a dish with sliced bananas and vanilla wafer cookies. It is usually served topped with whipped cream and more cookies and sliced bananas for a garnish.
I confess I have never had the original Banana Pudding so I can't really say how this compares, but I can say to you now that it is delicious no matter what. Quick and easy too.
It is also sized perfectly for just two people. Although, certainly, you could multiply the amounts to serve as many people as you are wanting to feed. That would not be hard to do at all.
It does make heavy use of convenience food ingredients, but you can also cut back on the sugar and fat in doing so by using lower sugar/fat ingredients.
You basically only need a few things. Bananas. Vanilla Pudding. Vanilla Wafer Cookies. Whipped Cream.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUICK & EASY BANANA PUDDING
As I said only a few simple convenient ingredients are needed. These amounts are for two people. If you want to serve more, multiply as required.
- 1 small fresh banana
- 2 vanilla pudding pots
- 8 vanilla wafers
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- few drops of vanilla
- banana slices to decorate
By pudding pots I mean the single serving pudding pots that come in four packs that you would buy to put in children's lunch boxes. You can get them in low fat and no sugar options.
You will need two of them, that's all. If you are in the UK, you could use a small tin of ready made custard.
Vanilla Wafer cookies are a round crisp vanilla flavored cookie that you can buy in boxes. Generally speaking they are relatively low in fat anyways. You can get them in mini or regular size which are about the size of a loonie/1 pound coin.
I do not mean the kind of wafers that you would find in a kitkat bar or that are available as biscuit fingers. These are round and like a cookie.
I suggest in the UK you use custard creams (remove the filling) or malted milk biscuits(cookies), or shortbread fingers or rounds. "Nice" biscuits would also work. You will probably have to break them up.
You could of course use artificial cream, squirty cream or the frozen whipped cream product for the cream on top if you wish, but I do prefer to use real cream rather than a frozen petroleum product.
You might also use ready whip or dream whip as it is called here in Canada, but I think "real" whipped cream will give you the best result. You don't need a lot of it and it whips up really quickly.
HOW TO MAKE QUICK & EASY BANANA PUDDING
No great skills are needed. If you can spoon things out and layer them, then you can make this. Children could easily make this. The hardest, longest part is waiting the half an hour for it to set up.
You will need two dessert glasses or small juice sized drinking glasses for this. You could even use plastic disposable glasses such as the ones you might use at a party.
Take two glass dessert cups. Press three vanilla wafers down into the bottom of each cup. Top with 1/2 pot of vanilla pudding.
Slice the banana into coins. Reserve two slices to decorate. Divide the remaining banana between the two cups, placing the slices over top of the pudding.
Divide the remaining pot of vanilla pudding between the two dessert glasses, putting half into each on top of the bananas.
Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spoon over top of the pudding. Place in the refrigerator to chill for half an hour.
Decorate the top of each with a vanilla wafer broken in two and a slice of banana. Serve immediately.
If you are planning on leaving it for any length of time, you may want to brush the sliced banana with lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown.
I suppose Banana Pudding is the closest thing they might have in North America to a Trifle. A Trifle is also a layered dessert with cubes of cake or lady fingers soaked in sherry and layered in a glass dish with custard and berries. Topped with whipped cream in much the same way.
Both desserts are delicious.
So there you have it quick and easy Banana Pudding. Simple. Easy to make and very tasty! This is the lazy man's Banana Pudding!
Quick and Easy Banana Pudding
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This is a bit of a cheat dessert. It is quick and easy to throw together and quite, quite delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 small fresh banana
- 2 vanilla pudding pots
- 8 vanilla wafers
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- few drops of vanilla
- banana slices to decorate
Instructions
- This does need to sit in the refrigerator for about half an hour to set up, so bear that in mind when making it.
- Take two glass dessert cups. Press three vanilla wafers down into the bottom of each cup. Top with 1/2 pot of vanilla pudding.
- Slice the banana into coins. Reserve two slices to decorate. Divide the remaining banana between the two cups, placing the slices over top of the pudding.
- Divide the remaining pot of vanilla pudding between the two dessert glasses, putting half into each on top of the bananas.
- Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spoon over top of the pudding. Place in the refrigerator to chill for half an hour.
- Decorate the top of each with a vanilla wafer broken in two and a slice of banana. Serve immediately.
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