Cooking with coffee - recipes

INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS

COFFEE CARDAMOM CAKE Picture: Jennifer Bruce

Related Stories

• Bake your daily bread - recipes

COFFEE CARDAMOM CAKE

200g butter, softened

250ml castor sugar

4 eggs

45ml coffee powder dissolved in 15ml boiling water

10ml ground cardamom

500ml flour

10ml baking powder

Icing:

20-30ml brewed coffee to mix

500ml sifted icing sugar

pistachio nuts for sprinkling

chocolate-coated coffee beans for decorating

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in coffee.

Sift the cardamom, flour and baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture.

Spoon mixture into a greased 23cm ring pan and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.

Cool completely, then pour over icing.

Sprinkle with pistachio nuts and decorate with chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Icing: Add enough coffee to the icing sugar to make a stiff glacé icing.

COFFEE PECAN BROWNIES

Makes 15

375ml castor sugar

225g butter

160ml cocoa powder

15ml ground filter coffee

3 eggs

5ml vanilla extract

310ml flour

50g pecan nuts, chopped

Topping:

80ml brewed filter coffee

200g chocolate discs

extra pecan nuts for decoration

Combine the sugar, butter, cocoa and coffee in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and cool for five minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Mix in the vanilla and flour. Fold through flour and pecan nuts. Spoon mixture into a lined and greased 26x18cm lamington pan and bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the mixture comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan. Remove and place on a cooling rack. Spoon over the topping and allow to set. Cut into 15 squares, decorating each with a pecan nut.

Topping: Melt chocolate and coffee together in a microwave.

TIRAMISU

Serves 8-10

250g tub of mascarpone

500ml cream

75ml marsala or coffee liqueur

80ml castor sugar

250ml espresso or strong coffee

200g sponge fingers

cocoa powder for sifting

50g dark chocolate, grated

Put the mascarpone, cream, marsala and sugar into a bowl. Whisk together until the cream and mascarpone have completely combined to give the consistency of thickly whipped cream.

Put the coffee into a shallow dish and dip in the sponge fingers until soaked, but not soggy. Layer half the biscuits in the base of a serving dish, then spoon over half of the mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle half of the grated chocolate over this. Then repeat the layers (use up all the coffee), finishing with the creamy layer on top. Sift over a little cocoa powder and decorate with chocolate. Refrigerate until required.

COFFEE-RUBBED STEAK WITH POTATO CRUSH

Serves 4

Rub:

30ml ground filter coffee

15ml smoked paprika

15ml brown sugar

5ml mustard powder

10ml salt flakes

a good grinding of black pepper

5ml ground coriander

5ml dried oregano

5ml ground ginger

5ml chilli powder

4x 200g steaks

15ml olive oil

250g baby potatoes, scrubbed

50g butter

200g feta cheese

a handful of fresh thyme leaves

salt and pepper

Rub: Combine all the ingredients for the rub and mix well.

Rub the steaks with olive oil and press rub mixture on to both sides. Cook in a griddle pan or on a braai until done to your liking. Remove and serve with crushed potatoes.

Potatoes: Put the potatoes into a saucepan, cover with water and boil until the potatoes are soft.

Remove from the heat and drain off the water. Add the butter, feta, thyme and seasoning to the saucepan.

Using a potato masher, lightly crush the potatoes, blending them with the other ingredients. - Saturday Star

Get our free Lifestyle newsletter - subscribe here...