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.
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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.
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One thing I wanted to get for myself when I was setting up my new kitchen was an Air Fryer. I had had a really good one in the UK that I used often. It was a T-Fal Opti fry and was very easy to use. I loved it.
Of course I had gotten it quite a few years ago. It was rather on the large side and did take up a lot of room. Air Fryers have come a long way since I had gotten that one. They basically serve a multitude of functions now
You can even bake cakes in them, although I have never done so admittedly.
I had ordered a Panasonic one from the Bay which never did arrive and so I ended up buying one at our local Home Hardware. It is a Kuraidori Multi-function Air Fryer.
So far I have been very pleased with it. It is a multi-function rotisserie air fryer. So far I haven't used anything other than the basic functions with it.
I have to say these new air fryers take some getting used to, at least for this old dog. For a time was calling my air fryer the "cremator," but I am slowly getting the hang of it.
It is said that an air fryer gives you all of the advantages of deep frying without any of the calories, especially f you enjoy fried foods. Can I be honest here?
If you are looking for deep fried flavor, you are not going to get it with an air fryer. You will get crisp in most cases however.
You do also have to time things very carefully because you can go from perfection to inedible at the drop of a hat, but having said that I am enjoying getting to know mine and eating things I am preparing in it.
MY HELPFUL TIPS FOR USING AN AIR FRYER
1. Read the instruction manual for your air fryer very carefully before cooking. This will help to make sure you understand specific features of your air fryer before you start to cook.
2. You can cook foods typically cooked in the oven in your air fryer. Because the air fryer is a more condensed rather than a regular oven, it is recommended that you cut the oven temperature by 25 - 50*F (6-10*C). You should also cut about 20% off of the cook times.
3. To help prevent foods from sticking to your air fryer basket, spray with nonstick cook spray before add the food, or line the basket with baking parchment. You can also get your food to crisp up better by spraying occasionally with cooking spray during the cooking process.
4. Don't over-fill the basket. Bear in mind you will probably need to cook in batches as needed.
5. Light foods may blow around from the pressure of the fan. Secure foods in the basket to help prevent this. Toothpicks come in very handy for this. My air fryer came with two baskets. I place the light food in one and then put the other basket over top. This works well.
6. Don't be afraid to check your food while cooking by opening your air fryer. This will not alter or disturb the cooking times, but it is one sure way to prevent your food from being over cooked.
One thing I have been really enjoying in my Air Fryer this week is Sweet Potatoes. I adore Sweet Potatoes. They are one of my favorite vegetables.
Not only are they deliciously filled with fiber, but they are actually considered to be a super food, packing a real nutritional wallop! They have about 50% more fiber than a regular baking potato and are loaded with Vitamins A and C.
I have always loved them baked. Normally I would throw them into the oven on a baking tray and leave them to bake while the rest of the meal is cooking.
This week I am taking advantage of my air fryer to do the exact same thing, with excellent results.
Do note however, it has been my experience when baking sweet potatoes, either in the oven or the air fryer, you are never going to get the really crisp skin that you might get when baking regular potatoes.
Nothing special is needed, other than the sweet potatoes themselves and an air fryer! Do take care when picking out your sweet potatoes.
Be sure to pick potatoes that are smooth skinned and blemish free, without any dark spots. Also no wrinkles or cracks. A wrinkled sweet potato usually indicates an old sweet potato!
Scrub your sweet potatoes really well with a vegetable brush and then dry them with some paper towels. You can then prick them all over with a fork.
Toss them into your air fryer basket and bake away! I usually do two at a time. I do have to say an air fryer is ideal for a person on their own or a couple, unless you have a super large one!
Personally I really enjoy them with a nice pat of butter, some salt and pepper, but you can top them with anything. Chili. Cheese. Sour Cream, bacon . . . chives. The world really is your oyster when it comes to these delicious nutritional giants!
Any leftovers can be wrapped and refrigerated. To reheat I simply peel and reheat gently in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Delicious!
Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
Yield: 2
Cook time: 40 MinTotal time: 40 Min
These are delicious. They end up perfectly baked in less time than it takes to bake them in a regular oven. I love them.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
Instructions
- Wash the sweet potatoes really well then dry with some paper towels. Prick them all over with a fork.
- Place in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 35 to 40 minutes at 375*F/190*C.
- Serve hot, split open and with your favorite toppings.
Notes
If you don't have an air fryer, you can easily bake sweet potatoes in the oven. Wash and prick as above. Bake at 400*F/200*C for about an hour at which time the potato should be soft in the centre and yield slightly to light pressure. A knife will slip in very easily.
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