Cappuccino Cookies

Makes: about 2 dozen cookies

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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons instant espresso or coffee powder

1 cup white chocolate chunks

Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside and we’ll preheat the oven after we chill the dough.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the butter mixture with a spatula.  Add the egg and egg yolk and beat on medium speed until mixture is fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Stop the mixer and add the dry ingredients, all at once to the butter mixture.  Beat on low speed until just combined.  Stop the mixer, add the chocolate chunks and fold together with a  spatula until well combined.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

Just before you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Scoop cookie dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto the prepared baking pans.  Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store cookies in an airtight container.  Cookies will last several days.  They’re yummy.

Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies

Don’t have espresso powder?  Feel free to skip it, and just make these cookies without.  You’ll have what looks like homemade Oreos!

adapted from The Essence of Chocolate

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makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies

For the Filling:

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

heaping 1/4 teaspoon  instant espresso powder

For the Cookies:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

15 Tablespoons (7 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, but into 3/4-inch cubes, at room temperature

For the Filling:

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to boil over medium heat.  Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate and espresso powder.  Make sure all the chocolate is covered by the cream.  Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk the white chocolate until completely melted.

Transfer the filling to a small bowl and let stand until room temperature.  You’ll need the filling thicker to assemble the cookies, so cover the filling and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or an hour, until a thick consistency is reached.  If the filling hardens too much, it can be rewarmed in the microwave for a few seconds.

For the Cookies:

Position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder and mix on low speed.  With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time.  The mixture will have a sandy texture at first and then will begin to form peddle-size pieces.  As soon as the dough starts to come together, stop the mixer.

Form and roll the dough straight from the mixer.  The dough becomes hard to work with if chilled.

Transfer the dough to a board and use the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper to shape the dough into a block about 5 by 7 inches.  Cut the block into two pieces.

One at a time, roll each block of dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper until about 1/8-inch thick.  Using a cookie cutter, cut into 2 inch rounds.  Place 1/2 to 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.  You can form and roll the dough scraps once after the first roll.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking.  Remove from the oven and cool on the sheets for 2 to 5 minutes.  Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

To Assemble the Cookies:

Place half of the cookies upside down on a work surface.  Whip the filling lightly with a whisk to loosen it.  It will lighten in color and fluff up.  Don’t overwhip or the filling may begin to separate.

Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip.  I just scooped my filling out by the scant teaspoonful.  Pipe or dollop one teaspoon of filling  in the center of each upside down cookie.  Gently, using your fingers, press the cookies together until the filling comes just to the edges.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

 

Mocha Coffee Coffee Cake with Espresso Glaze

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adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder dissolved in 1 1/2 Tablespoons hot water

2 Tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water

 

For the Glaze

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2-3 Tablespoons strong brewed coffee

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

 

Make the Cake

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Generously butter and flour 8- inch (6 cup) Bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Add flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just incorporated.

Transfer about one third of the batter to a small bowl.  Add espresso mixture and stir until combined.  Transfer 1/3 of the remaining vanilla batter to another small bowl and add the cocoa mixture and stir until combined.  Spoon all three batters into the Bundt pan, alternating so each flavor is distributed through the pan.

Bake until cake is golden, or until a wooden spoon inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

Stir together espresso powder and 2 tablespoons coffee in a bowl until powder is dissolved.  Add confectioners’ sugar and stir until well combined.  If glaze is not pourable, thin with remaining coffee if necessary.

Pour glaze over coffee cake and let cake stand until glaze is set, about 10 minutes, before serving.

(This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 10- inch (12 cup) Bundt pan.  Increase the baking time to about 1 hour.)