Dessert-Inspired Coffee Takes the Cake

Dinner is great and breakfast is fine, but we all know the best meal of the day is dessert! The smells, the sight and the sugar all pull you in (even when you know you shouldn’t) to somehow always leaving room for dessert.

So what happens when you combine cake, pie, cookies, custard and coffee? Probably a weirdly delicious mess, but in this case you get a mouth-watering list of new recipes to try. Now, desserts aren’t just for eating…you can drink them, too! This list is quite the treat as we take classic desserts and turn them into delicious coffee treats. Try them all for yourself!

Red Velvet Cake Latte

Who doesn’t love a classic red velvet cake? Now you can have this sweet dessert in latte form! Enjoy the smoothness of red velvet with the extra boost of the latte as you sip, slurp and savor this delicious treat from PopSugar.com!

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
1/2 cup cold-brewed coffee
Whipped cream, for garnish
Red sugar sprinkles, for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and mix in the chocolate chips and red food coloring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Add 2 tablespoons of coffee to each mug. Divide warmed chocolate milk over coffee. Finish with whipped cream and red sprinkles.

Oreo Cookie Frappuccino

What is it about Oreos that make them milk’s favorite cookie? Is it the chocolatey goodness? The creamy and addictive center? One thing is for sure…Oreo is now coffee’s favorite cookie, too! Combine this classic cookie snack with a cool and creamy frap to make one of this summer’s most irresistible drinks by Thrifty DIY Diva!

Ingredients

1/2 cup cold brewed coffee
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Oreo cookies
Whipped cream

Directions

In a blender, add the coffee, milk, vanilla and Oreo cookies and blend for 1 minute.

Poor into a coffee mug or a Mason jar, and top with whipped cream and a crushed Oreo if you wish.

Creamy Vanilla Crème Brûlée Coffee

Get ready for a major sugar rush! Ditch ordering crème brûlée at a fancy restaurant and make this coffeehouse-style drink right at home! This smooth and decadent coffee sensation will have you licking your lips until the very last drop.

Ingredients

3 K-Cup® pods of Community® Vanilla Crème Brûlée coffee
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 ½ cups 2% milk
Whipped cream
White chocolate shavings
Graham cracker crumbs

Directions

Brew 3 K-Cup® pods of Vanilla Crème Brûlée coffee and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and dry pudding mix. Stir in milk and coffee. Chill until serving. Yields 3 servings.

Pour into mugs or mason jars. Top with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs and white chocolate shavings.

Coffee, Cheesecake, Pie … One True Love

Pie. Cake. And coffee. They’ve always gone well together, and this make-ahead recipe beautifully highlights them all in the same dessert. It’s a perfect treat to make any time you want to excite your taste buds!

The pie crust couldn’t be simpler. Just mix together three ingredients and press them into the pan. You can choose the chocolate or traditional graham cracker version. The creamy filling shines with subtle coffee notes – both from brewed coffee mixed in with the cheese and from coffee ‘n’ chocolate swirled on top. Also, there’s no last-minute frosting, garnishing or fussing. Make this several days before serving so dessert is completely stress-free.

And here’s one more thing to love. The new 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (released in Jan. 2016) talks about incorporating moderate daily coffee consumption – about 3-4, 8-oz. cups or up to 400 mg caffeine – into healthy eating patterns. So, go ahead and serve a hot cup along with dessert, too!

Coffee Cheesecake Pie

Crust:
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 20 wafers) or graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Swirl:
¼ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons strongly-brewed Community® coffee

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages Neufchatel cheese (lower fat than cream cheese), softened
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup strongly-brewed Community® coffee, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crust
Combine wafer crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add butter and thoroughly mix. Place in 9-inch pie pan sprayed with vegetable cooking spray; evenly press up sides and over bottom. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Swirl
In small microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, place chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons coffee. Heat coffee to a simmer in microwave; do not boil. Stir until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.

Filling
In large mixing bowl, beat Neufchatel cheese and ½ cup sugar until smooth. Add ⅓ cup coffee and vanilla; mix until combined and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing on low speed and scraping bowl after each until blended. Pour over reserved crust.

Drizzle reserved coffee mixture all over filling; gently swirl with a knife tip. Bake in middle of oven for 30-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Cut into 8 slices

Notes:

• American Neufchatel cheese has about one-third less fat than regular cream cheese. Though you can use full fat cream cheese, this version lightens the dessert up a bit without sacrificing creamy, satisfying cheesecake texture.
• To soften Neufchatel cheese, unwrap both packages and microwave on high power 30 seconds or until slightly soft. If it’s too cold, Neufchatel cheese won’t easily blend and small lumps will remain.
• Crust short-cut: process wafers and sugar in food processor to make fine crumbs; add butter and process until well-mixed.
• The pie pan will be quite full before baking so carefully place in oven.
• You certainly can omit the coffee, chocolate swirl … but it adds mocha flavor and immense eye appeal.
• Cracks in the cheesecake may occur. So? Simply consider them homemade beauty marks!
• Check out “Dietary Guidelines Committee Gives Coffee Thumbs Up” for more information on coffee, diet and health.

Beth Witherspoon, MPH, RDN, has a passion for communicating culinary and nutrition information. She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who consults with Community Coffee Company to help communicate the flavor and health benefits of coffee.

Homemade Balsamic Coffee Vinaigrette

The secret’s out! Not only is coffee a worldwide favorite beverage, but it’s a handy flavor-enhancing tool for cooks and bakers, too. Really?

DressedSaladAbsolutely! And this vinaigrette is proof. Most people will not pick out bold coffee flavor in this dressing but instead taste a lovely bright, sweet-savory flavor combination, which is heightened thanks to brewed coffee. And a splash of real maple syrup is perfect for adding a taste of springtime sweetness.

Now, why doesn’t this dressing separate like most homemade versions? Well, there are several factors helping to keep the ingredients that don’t enjoy each others’ company – think vinegar and oil – emulsified or evenly combined. Both mustard and ground nuts work as emulsifiers in this recipe. And using a powerful food processor helps make the emulsion tight, lasting about a week in the refrigerator. I especially love the fact that the good-for-you olive oil does not solidify in this dressing after being refrigerated!

But the true beauty of vinaigrette that stays well-mixed is in each bite. All the flavors remain in perfect combination, clinging to the greens. (No more searching for the vinegar, which slid into a pool beneath the greens.) So, you taste the dressed salad at its very best.

Think of this recipe as a template for making more dressings, too. Change the acid (balsamic vinegar in this case) to lemon juice or different vinegar, use honey instead of maple syrup, and change the walnuts to another favorite nut. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Just beware … once you start making your own vinaigrette's at home, it’ll be hard to go back to bottled!

Balsamic Coffee Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, halved
2 tablespoons brewed Community® coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons roughly chopped and toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Place multipurpose blade in food processor. With processor running, add garlic through the feed tube to mince. Add coffee, vinegar, syrup, walnuts, mustard, salt and white pepper. Process a few seconds until mixed; scrape down sides of bowl. With processor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through the feed tube; process until completely combined.

Makes about 7 (2-tablespoon) servings

Notes:

• To toast nuts, place in heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2-4 minutes. Cool.
• Toast more nuts than the recipe calls for and sprinkle on top of the salad.
• If you don’t have a food processor, try a blender. Or, place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and vigorously shake. Just be sure to very finely mince the garlic and nuts before adding.
• Variations: Substitute different vinegars or lemon juice for balsamic; try honey instead of maple syrup; use another favorite nut instead of walnuts. For a more mellow (less “vinegary”) dressing, increase the amount of olive oil to suit your preference (one tablespoon at a time, tasting after each addition).
• Allergic to nuts? Leave them out. The vinaigrette may separate more quickly than if using them, but it still will have great flavor.
• The vinaigrette should keep about 1 week in the refrigerator.
• Salad serving suggestion: favorite greens, thin strips of prosciutto, blue or other favorite cheese, toasted walnuts and chopped dried figs or dates.

Beth Witherspoon, MPH, RDN, has a passion for communicating culinary and nutrition information. She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who consults with Community Coffee Company to help communicate the flavor and health benefits of coffee.

Coffee ‘n’ Black Bean Soup – in 30 Minutes!

One of my favorite memories from living in New Orleans is learning to make traditional red beans and rice from a local who had been serving up this favorite dish – to throngs of people – her entire life. We soaked, drained, combined, stirred, seasoned, mashed, and tasted … what a learning opportunity for a Midwestern native!

And though I often still make beans the way she taught me, time – or lack thereof – can be an issue. So, canned beans are a wonderful option. Their texture is spot on. And just like starting with dried beans, they are a nutrition powerhouse, providing protein, fiber, potassium, folate, iron and zinc.

This hearty soup is designed to be a satiating meatless meal option with layers of flavor developed from sweet, smoky and hot peppers, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, broth and coffee. You won’t necessarily taste the brewed coffee, but its roasted, earthy notes heighten and complement the other flavors. (Check out “Don’t Just Sip … Eat Your Coffee!” for more on cooking and baking with coffee.)

Feel free to add a ham bone, ham or chicken if you want. Or, serve with steamed rice to turn the beans into a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. And definitely consider topping your bowl with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, avocado, cilantro or one of the other options listed. This soup has a mild-to-medium heat level which can be adjusted by adding more or less of the chipotle, serrano or jalapeno peppers.

Oh, and I almost forgot what some will consider most important. If you have all of your ingredients gathered, (and depending on how fast you are with a knife, maybe have chopped the vegetables ahead) this soup comes together in just 30 minutes. Gotta love that!

Easy Coffee ‘n’ Black Bean Soup

Soup:

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, finely minced (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup brewed Community Coffee
Salt to taste

Optional (but great!) Toppings:

Avocado, sliced or diced
Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Pickled jalapenos
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh lime juice
Steamed rice

In large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and red and yellow peppers. Sauté, stirring frequently, until soft, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic, chipotle peppers, serrano pepper (if using), chili powder and cumin; cook and stir about 1 minute. Mix in beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and coffee. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion or hand blender, puree half of the beans. Season with salt to taste. Serve with desired toppings.

Makes about 8 (1 ½-cup) servings

Notes:

• Dice and mince vegetables in advance to speed preparation.
• The beans are undrained in this recipe. Why? The starchy liquid adds creamy body to the soup.
• It’s well documented that most Americans consume more sodium than recommended each day. To reduce sodium in the soup from canned beans and tomatoes, choose lower sodium or no added salt options and season accordingly.
• Make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable instead of chicken broth.
• Using a blender to puree a portion of the soup creates a creamy consistency (along with some whole bean texture) and beautifully combines flavors. If you don’t have a hand or immersion blender, remove a cup or more of beans, completely mash, then add back to the soup and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Beth Witherspoon, MPH, RDN, has a passion for communicating culinary and nutrition information. She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who consults with Community Coffee Company to help communicate the flavor and health benefits of coffee.