Spring has sprung! Easter is upon us, and this weekend, millions will celebrate the Christian holiday signifying the death and rising of the Savior three days later. In American culture, it is also a time to celebrate with family and friends, enjoy the new season upon us, and indulge in traditional Easter meals – sometimes complete with a turkey or ham, delicious spring-season sides like potato salad, coleslaw, and deviled eggs and a spread of desserts.
In anticipation of Easter weekend and in celebration of the spring season, we here at Republican Coffee would be remiss if we didn’t share a few dessert recipes with you that combine our love for coffee and tasty treats. Try these out and share the right coffee with your family and friends this season!
Maple Mocha Brownie Torte
Ingredients
- 1 package brownie mix
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp ground coffee
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp pure grade maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional, chocolate curls or additional walnuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350. Prepare batter for the brownie mix according to the package directions for cake-like brownies. Stir in walnuts, and pour into two greased 9-inch round baking pans.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat cream and coffee until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in the brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Spread 1 ½ cups over one brownie layer, and top with the second layer of brownie. Spread remaining cream mixture over the top and sides of the torte. Garnish with chocolate curls or walnuts if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serves 12.
Coffee Rum Truffettes
Ingredients
- 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, thinly sliced
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ Tbsp brewed espresso
- 1 Tbsp dark rum
Directions
- Melt ½ of the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, then the egg yolks, espresso and rum; refrigerate until firm, approximately 1 hour.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Roll rounded teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into balls; place them on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Melt the remaining chocolate in the double boiler. Remove from the heat and let cool, about 10 minutes. Using a skewer, spear each truffette, dip it in the chocolate and return it to the baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes approximately 36 truffettes.
Affogato (AKA Hot Coffee with Cold Ice Cream)
“Affogato” is the Italian word for “drowned.” Traditionally, this means pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. Since this is America and we like our servings bigger, pick out your favorite ice cream, put a scoop or two in a big mug, and pour a freshly-brewed cup of Republican Coffee over the top and enjoy the frothy affogato bliss!
Coffee S’Mores Pie
Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crust
- 9 whole graham crackers, ground finely in a food processor
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp Nutella/hazelnut spread
- 1 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Coffee Ganache
- 12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (don’t exceed 61% cacao), finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp finely ground coffee beans
Meringue
- 2 large egg whites
- ½ cup sugar
Directions
Graham Cracker Crust
Mix the graham cracker crumbs and remaining ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish; chill until crust is firm, about 30 minutes.
Coffee Ganache
Place chocolate and butter in a large bowl. Bring cream, coffee and 2 Tbsp water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl with chocolate and butter; discard coffee grounds. Stire until melted and ganache is smooth. Pour into chilled crust; smooth the top. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
Meringue
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites in a bowl until light and frothy. Add sugar in 4 additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Continue beating egg whites until stiff and glossy. Spoon the meringue over coffee ganache. Swirl decoratively with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Using a kitchen torch, if desired, toast meringue until golden brown in spots.
Pie can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Serves 8.
Dark Chocolate Mocha Avocado Mousse
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark chocolate, 70% or higher, melted
- 4 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- ¼ cup light coconut milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 3 tsp. finely ground coffee
- Optional, whipped cream
Directions
- Melt the dark chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
- Place your avocados in a food processor and blend until creamy. Add all remaining ingredients, including the melted chocolate, and blend until everything is thoroughly creamed together; about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust according to taste. The dark chocolate is dominant in this mousse, so add more honey or preferred sweetener as needed.
- Spoon mixture into small serving bowls and place in the fridge for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
Mousse can be made ahead of time and stored for 24 hours. Serves 4.
Recipe Sources: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/maple-mocha-brownie-torte, http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/coffee-rum-truffettes, http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/perfect-spring-dessert-affogato-aka-hot-coffee-cold/story?id=30652861, http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/coffee-s-mores-pie?mbid=synd_buzzfeed, http://deliciouslyyum.com/dark-chocolate-mocha-avocado-mousse/ )
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