Cooking With Gourmet Coffee

Coffee-Toffee Cooler

Although it can certainly stand on its own, this drink benefits from the addition of the flavored syrup by adding a nice dimension to the taste. The Columbian and Mexican beans suggested in the recipe have a caramel-like flavor which compliments the toffee in the ice cream.

1/2 cup chilled, brewed Columbian or Mexican coffee
1 1/4 cup Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Toffee Crunch ice cream
2 Tbl. caramel or amaretto syrup
1/3 cup plain sparkling mineral water
1/4 cup sweetened, whipped cream
1 Tbl. toasted, chopped almonds

Place the coffee, ice cream, flavored syrup and mineral water in a blender. Process until smooth and frothy.

Pour into a chilled, tall glass. Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Rainforest Crunch Coffee Shake

Many of these ingredients come from the rainforest countries of South America. Not only does this drink quench your desire for coffee, it is substantial enough to qualify for a quick and filling snack.

3 Tbl. brown sugar dissolved in 1 shot of hot espresso
1 shot of chilled espresso made from Brazilian Santos coffee beans
1 ripe banana
2/3 cup no-fat frozen vanilla yogurt
2 Tbl. cashew butter or crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup canned coconut cream
1-5 strips of dried, sweetened mango, chopped
2-3 Brazil nuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. shredded coconut
few dashes good quality sweetened cocoa powder
Chill the brown sugar-espresso mixture.

Place the chilled espresso, banana, brown sugar-espresso mixture, yogurt and cashew butter in a blender. Process until smooth and thick. Add dried mango and Brazil nuts and stir to blend.

Pour into a tall chilled glass and top with coconut and dust with cocoa powder.

Coffee-Mint Frappe

A faint resemblance to the southern summer cooler, Mint Julep, because of the use of sugar syrup and mint leaves, but much tastier. Fresh mint must be used or the results will be disappointing.

3 Tbl. sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbl. heavy cream
1 cup no-fat vanilla-flavored frozen yogurt
5-6 fresh mint leaves, minced
1 sprig of fresh mint
3-4 chocolate-coated coffee beans
Allow sugar-water mixture to chill thoroughly.

Place coffee, sugar-water mixture, vanilla extract, heavy cream, frozen yogurt and freshly minced mint leaves in a blender. Process until the mixture is thick and creamy. Pour into a tall, chilled glass with ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and top with the chocolate-coated coffee beans.

Raspberry-Mocha Soda

Raspberries, chocolate and coffee have been incorporated into rich desserts for years. I’ve taken those addictive ingredients a step farther and put them to good use in this fresh, sparkling drink. Ethiopian beans have been described as exhibiting a fruity, winy taste.

1/4 cup chilled, brewed Ethiopian coffee
1 cup no-fat raspberry-flavored frozen yogurt
2 Tbl. chocolate syrup
1/4 cup plain sparkling mineral water
2 Tbl. heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh raspberries

few dashes good quality sweetened cocoa powder

Place all ingredients except the fresh raspberries and cocoa powder in a blender and process until foamy and well-mixed.

Pour into a chilled, tall glass and stir in the whole raspberries to disperse evenly throughout the shake. Sprinkle with the cocoa powder.