Cooking With Gourmet Coffee

• 1-2 T butter or oil
• ¼ c sesame seeds
• 1 c strong black coffee
• 2 c ripe bananas, puréed
• 1½ c butter, softenened
• 1¾ c brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2½ t vanilla extract
• ½ t almond extract
• 1 t orange zest
• 4 c flour
• 1 t salt
• ½ t baking soda
• 1 T baking powder
• ½ t nutmeg
• 2 t cinnamon
• ¾ c chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease the pan(s) then sprinkle with sesame seeds and shake around until they stick.

Stir the coffee into the puréed bananas and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together, then beat in eggs, one at a time. When fluffy, add vanilla, almond extract, and orange zest.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Gradually combine dry ingredients with the butter/eggs and banana/coffee mixture – don’t overmix. Stir in optional nuts.

Spread batter into pan(s) and bake for 35-50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool for one hour before slicing.

Adapted from Molly Katzen’s New Moosewood Cookbook

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• 1 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the dates in a small bowl, and sprinkle the baking soda over. Heat coffee to boiling, and pour over the dates and soda. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and egg until well blended. Stir in vanilla. Blend in the flour and salt, then fold in the pecans and date mixture. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the top of the loaf springs back when lightly touched. Let stand for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Peel off paper, and allow to cool on a wire rack.

This cake like bread is the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee. It uses Herman sweet sourdough starter.

• 2 cups Herman Sourdough Starter
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

1. Bring Herman Starter to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour one 9×13 inch baking pan.
3. Stir together Herman Starter, oil and beaten eggs.
4. Stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and white sugar. Stir in nuts and raisins. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir well. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping.
5. To Make Topping: Combine the 1 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in 1/4 cup softened butter, until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes. While still hot pour glaze over the top and serve.
7. To Make Glaze: In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Stir in the milk and 1 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over hot cake.

Herman Sourdough Starter

This is a recipe for a sweet sourdough starter known as Herman. There are a number of things that can be made from it. It’s very important to NOT use metal utensils or bowls! It will take 15 days for the starter to mature and be ready to use the first time you make it. After that it can be ready for use every 10 days.

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup white sugar, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups milk, divided

1. In a large glass or plastic container, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in the flour and sugar, mix until smooth. (DO NOT USE A METAL SPOON)! Cover loosely and store in a warm place overnight.
2. The next day, stir and refrigerate.
3. Stir once each day for the next four days. On the fifth day, stir, then divide in half. Give half away with feeding instructions.
4. Feed starter with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Stir until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator. Stir once each day for next four days.
5. On the tenth day feed again with 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Return to refrigerator and stir once each day for the next four days.
6. On the fifteenth day it is ready to be used for baking. Reserve one cup of the starter in the refrigerator and continue to follow the stir and feed cycle (Stir once a day for four days, stir and feed on the fifth day, ready for use on the tenth day.)

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups milk
* 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* Very strong espresso, about 3 ounces, may substitute 4 tablespoons instant coffee mixed with 1/4 cup water
* 6 egg yolks
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream plus 1/2 cup whipped cream
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 4 cups strong American coffee, cooled
* Bitter cocoa, for dusting

Directions

Place milk and vanilla bean into a 2 quart saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat and add espresso. In a mixing bowl beat the eggs to golden and gradually add sugar until light yellow ribbons have formed. Place back into milk pan and cook slowly until mixture coats back of spoon thickly and sets slightly to custard. Texture should resemble thick gravy. DO NOT BOIL OR MIXTURE WILL CURDLE. Remove vanilla bean and cool in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.

Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold into custard mixture. Place mixture into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers instructions. Remove and freeze 2 hours. Place 1 scoop coffee ice cream into each of 4 water glasses. Pour 1 cup of cooled coffee over each scoop, dollop with remaining whipped cream and dust with bitter cocoa.

Ingredients

* 3 cups heavy cream
* 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
* 2 tablespoons ground chicory coffee
* 1 tablespoon ground French roast coffee
* 8 egg yolks
* Chocolate covered espresso beans, for garnish
* Special Equipment: 4 (8-ounce) heatproof ramekins or custard cups

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Place 4 (8-ounce) ramekins into a large, 2 1/2 to 3-inch deep baking pan.

Combine the cream, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Just before the cream begins to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the coffees, cover the saucepan, and allow the mixture steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.

Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk a small amount of the hot cream into the eggs a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Strain the mixture again through fine mesh strainer. Ladle the warm liquid into the ramekins. Transfer the pan to the oven and carefully pour enough of the simmering water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is just set, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool slightly, then carefully remove the ramekins from the hot water.

Chill for at least 4 hours. To serve, heat the broiler. Evenly sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar on top of the chilled custard. Place the ramekins on the level surface of the broiler pan and broil for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to caramelize the sugar; be careful, as this can go quickly depending on your broiler. Carefully remove from the broiler and allow custards to stand for 3 to 4 minutes until the caramelized sugar hardens and cools. Garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans and serve immediately.

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