Authors: Cleo Coyle
Tags: #Fiction, #Detective, #Mystery, #Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths, #Mystery & Detective, #Fiction - Mystery, #Coffeehouses, #Suspense, #Women Sleuths, #Cosi; Clare (Fictitious character), #Mystery fiction
Holiday Grind (44 page)
Desserts and baking
—You can drizzle gourmet coffee syrup over ice cream or fruit (poached pears, caramelized bananas, glazed peaches, fresh strawberries). You can even add them to a favorite recipe for a slightly different flavor profile. For instance, you might add 1 tablespoon of hazelnut syrup to your chocolate chip cookie recipe; 2 tablespoons of rum syrup to a yellow cake mix; or 1-2 tablespoons English toffee syrup to your favorite brownie recipe.
—You can drizzle gourmet coffee syrup over ice cream or fruit (poached pears, caramelized bananas, glazed peaches, fresh strawberries). You can even add them to a favorite recipe for a slightly different flavor profile. For instance, you might add 1 tablespoon of hazelnut syrup to your chocolate chip cookie recipe; 2 tablespoons of rum syrup to a yellow cake mix; or 1-2 tablespoons English toffee syrup to your favorite brownie recipe.
Syrups with “spirit”
—Gourmet syrups are nonalcoholic, even the rum and crème de menthe flavors are alcohol free! But if you’d like to be your own bartender and make your own version of a liqueur, just combine any flavored coffee syrup with vodka in a 1:1 ratio. One ounce of cherry syrup and 1 ounce of vodka, for example, will give you 2 ounces of cherry liqueur. You can serve these in a decorative shot glass with after-dinner coffee, or add espresso and steamed milk for a “spirited” caffe latte.
—Gourmet syrups are nonalcoholic, even the rum and crème de menthe flavors are alcohol free! But if you’d like to be your own bartender and make your own version of a liqueur, just combine any flavored coffee syrup with vodka in a 1:1 ratio. One ounce of cherry syrup and 1 ounce of vodka, for example, will give you 2 ounces of cherry liqueur. You can serve these in a decorative shot glass with after-dinner coffee, or add espresso and steamed milk for a “spirited” caffe latte.
Using a Syrup Pump
—A syrup bar can be a lot of fun, especially for parties where guests can experiment with mixing flavors. If you like the idea of setting up your own coffeehouse-style syrup bar—for coffee drinks, cold drinks, or Italian ices—then consider purchasing pumps to dispense the syrup. These plastic pumps are inexpensive and reusable. (Just remember that every syrup company offers its own pump to fit its own bottles—some Web sites sell them with the syrups and some under the heading Accessories.) As far as measure, a syrup pump will give you ¼ ounce per pump (¼ ounce = ½ tablespoon or 1½ teaspoons). Coffeehouse baristas use pumps regularly, which is why they memorize drink recipes by number of “pumps” per cup. Tastes vary and some syrups carry much stronger flavor profiles than others, but a good rule of thumb is to use about 1 pump of syrup for every 4 ounces of other liquid (coffee, carbonated water, milk, etc). So for an 8 ounce drink, you’d add 2 pumps of syrup (1 tablespoon). For a 12 ounce drink, you’d add 3 pumps of syrup (1½ tablespoons); and so on.
—A syrup bar can be a lot of fun, especially for parties where guests can experiment with mixing flavors. If you like the idea of setting up your own coffeehouse-style syrup bar—for coffee drinks, cold drinks, or Italian ices—then consider purchasing pumps to dispense the syrup. These plastic pumps are inexpensive and reusable. (Just remember that every syrup company offers its own pump to fit its own bottles—some Web sites sell them with the syrups and some under the heading Accessories.) As far as measure, a syrup pump will give you ¼ ounce per pump (¼ ounce = ½ tablespoon or 1½ teaspoons). Coffeehouse baristas use pumps regularly, which is why they memorize drink recipes by number of “pumps” per cup. Tastes vary and some syrups carry much stronger flavor profiles than others, but a good rule of thumb is to use about 1 pump of syrup for every 4 ounces of other liquid (coffee, carbonated water, milk, etc). So for an 8 ounce drink, you’d add 2 pumps of syrup (1 tablespoon). For a 12 ounce drink, you’d add 3 pumps of syrup (1½ tablespoons); and so on.
CAFFE LATTE RECIPES
Step 1—
For one serving, start with
cup of cold, fresh milk, right from the fridge. Heat the milk using an espresso machine steam wand or my rustic stovetop method for creating cappuccino and latte froth (page 300).
For one serving, start with
cup of cold, fresh milk, right from the fridge. Heat the milk using an espresso machine steam wand or my rustic stovetop method for creating cappuccino and latte froth (page 300).Step 2—
Into an 8-ounce mug, pour 1-2 shots of hot espresso, depending on how strong a coffee flavor you’d like in your latte. Remember that 1 shot = 2 tablespoons.
Into an 8-ounce mug, pour 1-2 shots of hot espresso, depending on how strong a coffee flavor you’d like in your latte. Remember that 1 shot = 2 tablespoons.
Step 3
—Stir in your favorite flavored syrup—1-2 tablespoons (or 2-4 pumps from a syrup bottle), adding more or less, depending on the strength of the particular syrup and your own taste. Stirring the syrup into the hot espresso helps infuse it into the drink. Or skip the syrup if you want a plain traditional latte.
—Stir in your favorite flavored syrup—1-2 tablespoons (or 2-4 pumps from a syrup bottle), adding more or less, depending on the strength of the particular syrup and your own taste. Stirring the syrup into the hot espresso helps infuse it into the drink. Or skip the syrup if you want a plain traditional latte.
Step 4—
Carefully tilting your milk pitcher or bowl, pour the steamed milk into your 8-ounce mug, filling it nearly to the top. (Use a spoon to prevent any foamed milk from pouring out, too.) Stir the mug again to distribute the flavor.
Carefully tilting your milk pitcher or bowl, pour the steamed milk into your 8-ounce mug, filling it nearly to the top. (Use a spoon to prevent any foamed milk from pouring out, too.) Stir the mug again to distribute the flavor.
Step 5—
Spoon the remaining foamed milk onto your drink. Serve plain or, depending on the syrup flavors you may have added, garnish with any number of finishers: whipped cream, a dusting of sweetened cocoa powder, a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, white or dark chocolate shavings, or even rainbow or chocolate jimmies (aka sprinkles).
Spoon the remaining foamed milk onto your drink. Serve plain or, depending on the syrup flavors you may have added, garnish with any number of finishers: whipped cream, a dusting of sweetened cocoa powder, a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, white or dark chocolate shavings, or even rainbow or chocolate jimmies (aka sprinkles).
NOTE:
If you don’t have an espresso machine or a stovetop Moka pot, simply brew up some dark-roasted coffee at double strength to use in my latte recipes.
Latte VariationsIf you don’t have an espresso machine or a stovetop Moka pot, simply brew up some dark-roasted coffee at double strength to use in my latte recipes.
CAFFE MOCHA
Use my Basic Caffe Latte recipe, adding 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup in Step 2. If you don’t have bottled chocolate syrup, try one of my Homemade Chocolate Syrups (page 313).
CAFFE CARAMELLA
Use my Basic Caffe Latte recipe, adding 1-2 tablespoons of caramel syrup in Step 2. Try my Homemade Caramel Syrup (page 315).
CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL LATTE
Use my Basic Caffe Latte recipe, adding 1-2 tablespoons of my Homemade Chocolate-Caramel Sauce in Step 2 (page 316).
TURTLE LATTE
Use my Basic Caffee Latte recipe. In Step 2, add ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) of my Homemade Chocolate-Caramel Sauce and ½ tablespoon of hazelnut syrup or a nut-flavored liqueur (such as Frangelico or amaretto). Top this latte with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate-caramel sauce, and chocolate jimmies or shavings.
APPLE PIE LATTE
Pour 1 shot of hot espresso into an 8-ounce mug. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of my Homemade Apple Cider Syrup (page 317). Fill the rest of the mug with steamed milk, created with an espresso machine steam wand or my rustic stovetop method (page 300). Stir again to distribute the flavors. Top with a cloud of foamed milk and a drizzle of my Homemade Apple Cider Syrup.
RASPBERRY TRUFFLE LATTE
Pour 1 shot of hot espresso into an 8-ounce mug. Stir in ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) of my Homemade Dark Chocolate Syrup (recipe follows) and ½ tablespoon of raspberry syrup. (You can make your own raspberry syrup by using my Easy Homemade Fruit Syrup recipe, which also follows.) Fill the rest of the mug with steamed milk, created with an espresso machine steam wand or my rustic stovetop method (page 300). Stir again to distribute the flavors. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Try serving with fresh raspberries on the side!
Homemade Dark Chocolate SyrupMakes about 1 cup
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
⅛ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Step 1
—In a bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt (but
not
the vanilla). Add the water and whisk well until thoroughly blended. Pour into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture comes to a rolling boil; continue stirring and boiling the mixture for a full 7 minutes. (You’re watching for the syrup to reduce and thicken. It will also darken a bit.) If the mixture threatens to boil over, just reduce the heat a bit and keep stirring.
—In a bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt (but
not
the vanilla). Add the water and whisk well until thoroughly blended. Pour into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture comes to a rolling boil; continue stirring and boiling the mixture for a full 7 minutes. (You’re watching for the syrup to reduce and thicken. It will also darken a bit.) If the mixture threatens to boil over, just reduce the heat a bit and keep stirring.
Step 2
—After 7 full minutes, remove from heat. Allow to cool a minute and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator. When completely chilled, remove any skin from the top and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. I recommend storing this syrup in a standard plastic squeeze bottle in refrigerator. Once chilled, this syrup may firm up on you. Just reheat the bottle in microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or set plastic bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
—After 7 full minutes, remove from heat. Allow to cool a minute and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator. When completely chilled, remove any skin from the top and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. I recommend storing this syrup in a standard plastic squeeze bottle in refrigerator. Once chilled, this syrup may firm up on you. Just reheat the bottle in microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or set plastic bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
HELPFUL HINT:
Chef’s say stirring in a continuous circle is not the best way to mix ingredients. Instead, stir in a figure eight, an S-shape, and a circle. In other words, vary the way you stir the pot to make sure the ingredients are blended well.
Homemade Milk Chocolate SyrupChef’s say stirring in a continuous circle is not the best way to mix ingredients. Instead, stir in a figure eight, an S-shape, and a circle. In other words, vary the way you stir the pot to make sure the ingredients are blended well.
Makes about 1½ cups
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, milk, corn syrup, and cream. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and you have a smooth mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture boils, then keep it boiling for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. After 7 minutes, remove from the heat, let the mixture cool for a minute and then stir in the vanilla. Before storing, allow the syrup to come to room temperature. I recommend storing in a standard plastic squeeze bottle in refrigerator. Once chilled, this syrup may firm up on you. Just reheat bottle in microwave for 30-60 seconds or set bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
Homemade Caramel SyrupMakes about 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a nonstick pan, combine the cream, whole milk, corn syrup, sugars, and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth and blended. Bring to a roiling boil and maintain for 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring—do not let it burn! After 10 minutes, stir in butter; continue heating and stirring for another 3 minutes until butter is completely melted. Remove from heat. Let stand a minute, then stir in vanilla. Serve warm in your latte or try drizzling over ice cream, baked apples, or pie. Let syrup come to room temperature before pouring into a standard plastic squeeze bottle and storing in refrigerator. Once chilled, syrup will firm up a bit. To use right out of fridge, simply reheat plastic bottle in microwave for 30-60 seconds or set bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
Homemade Chocolate-Caramel SauceMakes about 2 cups
Use all of the ingredients in the Homemade Caramel Syrup
recipe, plus:
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Step 1
—Follow the directions for previous caramel syrup recipe. When caramel syrup has finished simmering and recipe asks you to add butter, increase amount by 2 tablespoons—for a total of 4 tablespoons added to caramel syrup mixture. Stir until butter is melted and then stir in the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder. (Make sure cocoa is sifted or you’ll be battling lumps.)
—Follow the directions for previous caramel syrup recipe. When caramel syrup has finished simmering and recipe asks you to add butter, increase amount by 2 tablespoons—for a total of 4 tablespoons added to caramel syrup mixture. Stir until butter is melted and then stir in the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder. (Make sure cocoa is sifted or you’ll be battling lumps.)
Step 2
—Remove chocolate-caramel sauce from heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla—as per previous caramel syrup recipe. If your hot sauce is still lumpy, transfer to heatproof mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Let sauce cool to room temperature before pouring into a plastic squeeze bottle and storing in fridge. Once chilled, the sauce will firm up quite a bit (like a hot fudge sauce). To use right out of fridge, simply reheat plastic bottle in microwave for 60-90 seconds or set bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
Homemade Apple Cider Syrup—Remove chocolate-caramel sauce from heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla—as per previous caramel syrup recipe. If your hot sauce is still lumpy, transfer to heatproof mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Let sauce cool to room temperature before pouring into a plastic squeeze bottle and storing in fridge. Once chilled, the sauce will firm up quite a bit (like a hot fudge sauce). To use right out of fridge, simply reheat plastic bottle in microwave for 60-90 seconds or set bottle in a warm-water bath for a few minutes.
Makes about 2 cups
2 cups apple cider
2 cups light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine apple cider, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a nonstick saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. After mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent sticking or burning. The mixture will reduce and become thicker. Now add butter and stir continuously until completely melted. Remove pan from heat. After a minute, stir in vanilla. Syrup will thicken as it cools.
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