COFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: National Coffee Day!

Today is National Coffee Day. So many ways to celebrate, especially if you add Chocolate. You can always have a Cafe Mocha, Chocolate Coffee Fudge, Chocolate Clouds in your Coffee, Irish Coffee Chocolate Cake, Irish Coffee Truffles, or pick up some Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans.

In honor of the day, I thought I'd re-post one of my favorite recipes for Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies. What I love about Chocolate Chip Cookies are the infinite varieties.

As I've mentioned before, your final product is only as good as your ingredients. Use the very best Chocolate, Espresso (or Coffee) Beans, Vanilla, Flour, Butter and other ingredients! This recipe calls for a baking stone. You can use a pizza stone. If you don't have one, you can make these Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies the traditional way on a cookie sheet. The stone helps makes them gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside, though. I've adapted this recipe from ehow.com.

COFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 fresh large eggs (room temperature)
2 cups brown sugar
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
3 - 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp ground espresso beans (or finely ground coffee beans). Try this recipe with ground chocolate covered Coffee beans. Gives it just a bit more chocolate!
16 oz dark chocolate (65-75% cacao) chopped into small pieces (or dark chocolate chips)
Baking Stone

Directions
Toss butter in microwave for 20 seconds to SOFTEN not melt the butter. (or leave out in advance, so it's already softened)
Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Mixture should be well blended but firm.
Add 2 eggs. Beat. Add vanilla. Mix well. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into another bowl. Add ground coffee or ground espresso beans.
Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, beating in a little at a time. Fold in chocolate pieces (or chips).
Put cookie dough in refrigerator for 2 hours to firm up. Put wax paper on top to prevent drying.
Preheat oven to 350. Put hot stone in Oven.
Take hot stone out of oven. Drop cookie balls (use a small scoop or form balls) onto stone, smashing with fork after dropping. Put back in oven on stone.
Bake for about 8 minutes. Depends on your oven, of course.
Transfer with spatula to wire rack.

Hint: Check the first one. If the cookies fall apart or aren't cooked all the way, give them another minute.

COFFEE Gâteau: Retro Ad with Recipe for National Coffee and National Mocha Day

Today is National Coffee Day, not to be confused with International Coffee Day on August 29, but it's also National Mocha Day. So here's a great Retro Ad & Recipe from Nescafe for Luscious Coffee Gâteau that includes both coffee and mocha. Coffee is used in the cake, there's Mocha Icing, as well as the Creamy Coffee Filling. See the recipes below. Of course, I would substitute 'real' coffee in the recipes to bring it up to date and improve flavor! BTW, Regulo 5 is equal to 375 degrees.

Nescafe, by the way, is the name of an instant coffee made by Nestle. It comes in different forms. It was first introduced by Nestle in 1938. The name was used in the U.S. until the late 1960s when Nestle introduced a new brand called Taster's Choice.

So grab a cup of coffee while you make this fun Coffee Gâteau!

Cake recipe is aloe the Mocha Icing Recipe.

Coffee Gâteau

ELSIE'S FUDGY MOCHA BROWNIES: Coffee Day & Mocha Day!

Today is National Mocha Day and National Coffee Day, so here's a great recipe to celebrate: Elsie's Fudgy Mocha Brownies that add coffee to the batter!

Great places for new recipes are "Brand" sites or  in this case a Vintage Brand Cookbook. I've posted recipes from Hershey's and Baker's and Godiva, as well as various food associations, so today I thought I'd post a recipe from Eagle Brand Condensed Milk (Borden's). I always have condensed milk around for baking. Got to love Elsie the Cow, the Borden's Mascot. Elsie made her debut in 1939, and after 70 years, Elsie still symbolizes trust, quality and freshness for the products Borden creates.

Did you know that Gail Bordon patented his invention for making condensed milk in 1856 and that his company was the first manufacturer of condensed milk? Follow this link to an article from Smithsonian Magazine to learn more about this miraculous food product.

I love this recipe for Fudgy Mocha Brownies. Sometimes I use ground espresso beans instead of coffee granules, and you can substitute a few other things such as DARK cocoa. And, you can never have too many Brownie recipes.

ELSIE'S FUDGY MOCHA BROWNIES

Ingredients
No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2/3 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon hot water
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Optional: Pillsbury® Chocolate Frosting (or make your own)

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 x 8-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray.
Combine 1 cup flour and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into prepared pan.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes.
Combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, egg, 1/4 cup flour, vanilla, and baking powder in large bowl. Dissolve instant coffee granules in hot water and add. Mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread over baked crust.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center is set.
Cool.

Frost (optional)

Cappuccino Cheesecake with Oreo Crust: National Cappuccino Day

Today is National Cappuccino Day. I'm not a regular coffee drinker, but that doesn't keep me from having a mocha every once in awhile. Chocolate and coffee go so well together, and I often add coffee or espresso to brownies, cakes, and cookies. So in honor of the holiday, here's a recipe adapted from Philadelphia Cream Cheese for Cappuccino Cheesecake. The actual cheesecake does not contain chocolate, but with an oreo crust, you'll get your 'jolt' of chocolate!

CAPPUCCINO CHEESECAKE WITH OREO CRUST

Ingredients
16 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp Instant Coffee (I use Starbucks VIA ready brew)
1 Oreo Pie Crust - see below

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended.
Microwave milk in small microwaveable bowl on high 15 seconds. Add coffee granules; stir until dissolved.
Add to batter; mix well.
Pour into crust.
Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set.  (do not overbake)
Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  

Oreo Pie Crust
Ingredients
24 Oreos (or Trader Joe's JoeJoes)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions
In medium-sized bowl or food processor, add Oreo cookies and blend until texture of coarse meal or crumbs. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Put ground crumb mixture into 9 - or 10 - inch deep-dish pie pan and press evenly on bottom and up sides  (about 1/8 inch around).
Refrigerate crust for hour+ before adding filling to prevent crumbling when you serve.

National Coffee Day: Truffles, Free Coffee, Facts, and More!

Today is National Coffee Day, and you can have a cup of coffee--or you can make these Real Coffee Chocolate Truffles which are fabulous, and unlike other espresso and coffee truffle recipes I've posted in the past, these do not use brewed coffee or instant--this recipe uses fresh ground coffee beans! You can also use different coatings for these truffles, such as chopped nuts or powdered sugar, but I prefer my truffles covered in unsweetened cocoa!

Want Free Coffee today? Here's a list of local places to get a Jolt of Joe. 

And Mental Floss has 16 Quick Coffee Facts. Fun!

Real Coffee Truffles

Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces DARK chocolate, 70% cacao
2 Tbsp finely ground coffee beans
2 Tbsp sweet butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp Kahlua, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder

Directions
In double boiler or a saucepan over a saucepan, bring cream to a simmer.
Add chopped chocolate slowly, whisking constantly until mixture is thick and smooth.
Whisk in ground coffee beans.
Whisk in butter until melted.
Slowly whisk in Kahlua.
Remove mixture from heat and pour into shallow baking dish.
Put baking dish in refrigerator overnight or in freezer until chocolate has hardened.
Scoop chocolate from baking dish, roll into ball with hands, and roll in cocoa powder.
Set on parchment paper on baking sheet.
Repeat.
Cover and refrigerate truffles until firm.

Real Coffee Truffles: National Coffee Day!

Today is National Coffee Day, and although I posted recipe for Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies for the holiday, I thought I'd post a 'pure' coffee recipe as well. These Real Coffee Chocolate Truffles are fabulous, and unlike other espresso and coffee truffle recipes I've posted in the past, these do not use brewed coffee or instant--this recipe uses fresh ground coffee beans! You can also use different coatings for these truffles, such as chopped nuts or powdered sugar, but I prefer my truffles covered in unsweetened cocoa!

Real Coffee Truffles

Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces DARK chocolate, 70% cacao
2 Tbsp finely ground coffee beans
2 Tbsp sweet butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp Kahlua, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder

Directions
In double boiler or a saucepan over a saucepan, bring cream to a simmer.
Add chopped chocolate slowly, whisking constantly until mixture is thick and smooth.
Whisk in ground coffee beans.
Whisk in butter until melted.
Slowly whisk in Kahlua.
Remove mixture from heat and pour into shallow baking dish.
Put baking dish in refrigerator overnight or in freezer until the chocolate has hardened.
Scoop chocolate from baking dish, roll into ball with hands and roll in cocoa powder.
Set on parchment paper on baking sheet.
Repeat.
Cover and refrigerate truffles until firm.

Cappuccino Cheesecake with Oreo Crust: National Coffee Day

Today is National Coffee Day. I'm not a regular coffee drinker, but that doesn't keep me from having a mocha every once in awhile. Chocolate and coffee go so well together, and I often add coffee or espresso to brownies, cakes, and cookies. So in honor of the holiday, here's a recipe adapted from Philadelphia Cream Cheese for Cappucino Cheesecake. The actual cheesecake does not contain chocolate, but with an oreo crust, you'll get your 'jolt' of chocolate!

CAPPUCCINO CHEESECAKE WITH OREO CRUST

Ingredients
16 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp Madagascar vanilla
2 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp Instant Coffee (I use Starbucks VIA ready brew)
1 Oreo Pie Crust - see below

Directions
Prheat oven to 350°F.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended.
Microwave milk in small microwaveable bowl on high 15 seconds. Add coffee granules; stir until dissolved. Add to batter; mix well. Pour into crust.
Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set.  (do not overbake)
Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  

Oreo Pie Crust
Ingredients
24 Oreos (or Trader Joe's JoeJoes)
1/4 cup sweet butter, melted

Directions
In medium-sized bowl or food processor, add Oreo cookies and blend until texture of coarse meal or crumbs. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Put ground crumb mixture into 9 - or 10 - inch deep-dish pie pan and press evenly on bottom and up sides  (about 1/8 inch around).
Refrigerate crust for hour+ before adding filling to prevent crumbling when you serve.