Espresso Caramel
Bold and smooth. Dark espresso deepens caramel’s natural toffee notes.
Pumpkin Pie with Espresso Caramel Whipped Cream
If you are cooking for Thanksgiving, organization is key. This pie may be made a day in advance.. Pumpkin and coffee are a great combination that is often overlooked. (Don’t skip prebaking the pie crust. If you do, you’ll have a soggy crust.)
Serves 8
Pie Dough
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
About 3 tablespoons of ice-cold water
1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Press the pulse button quickly and pulse the mixture until the butter is the size of small peas, 5 to 10 pulses. This will happen very quickly; do not overprocess. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of water over the dough and pulse just until the dough is crumbly. Stop the machine and gently squeeze about 1/3 cup of dough in your hand. If it comes together without any dry pieces, you’ve added enough water. If it’s still floury, pulse in another tablespoon of water and test again. Once you have enough water, process briefly until the dough forms small clumps, do not process it to the point where it forms a ball.
2. Form the dough into a flat (1-inch-thick) disk (without treating it like Play-Doh and mashing it). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days. If refrigerated for a longer period, let the dough warm up for about 15 minutes after taking it out of the fridge so it rolls more easily.
3. Put the disk on a generously floured work surface. Sprinkle more flour on the top. Roll it into an evenly thick 14-inch circle, or one that’s 2 inches wider than your pie pan.
4. Transfer the dough to a nine-inch pie pan. Trim the dough around the edge of the pan, leaving about a 1-inch edge hanging over the side. Fold the edge under so it sits on the top edge of the pie pan, then crimp or create a decorative pattern. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
6. Press a piece of foil against the bottom and sides of the dough-lined pan. With a fork, prick holes through the foil into the dough on all sides and the bottom. Bake until the edge of the dough is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. Continue to bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Col to room temperature.
Pie Filling
3 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée, homemade or canned
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rum, optional
1 prebaked 9-inch pie crust
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until blended. Add the corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cream, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and rum, if using. Pour into the prebaked pie crust.
3. Bake until the filling is set, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Espresso Caramel Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup Espresso Caramel Sauce
Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.
Serve a dollop on each piece of pie.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Espresso Caramel
I once made this recipe for 370 people for a Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters Event. It’s a simple cake that goes with and can be dressed up with so many different flavors. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
Serves 6
6 ounces bittersweet Chocolate
4 ounces unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray six, 4 ounce ramekins or foil cups with nonstick spray.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth.
3. In another bowl whisk eggs just until combined. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
4. Whisk the chocolate mixture into eggs.
5. Divide the batter between the ramekins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgey, about 20 minutes. It should neither be shiny and wet or completely dry.
6. Cool until room temperature and then unmold.
To Serve
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup Espresso Caramel Sauce
3 tablespoons chocolate-covered coffee beans, chopped
Whip the cream, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl until the cream holds its shape.
Spoon a dollop onto each cake, then drizzle espresso caramel over.
Top with chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Espresso Caramel Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe is for chocoholics. The cupcakes and frosting can be made a day ahead. Store both at room temperature. Assemble the cupcakes within an hour of serving or the moist cake will absorb the caramel.
12 cupcakes
Cupcakes
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (Dutch Processed preferred)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup coffee
1/3 cup canola oil
Chocolate Frosting
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Large pinch kosher salt
1/3 cup milk
Filling
3/4 cup Espresso Caramel Sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put paper cupcake liners in 12 standard-size cupcake tins.
2. Sift together the cake and all-purpose flours, cocoa powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, salt, and the brown and granulated sugars. Mix the buttermilk, coffee, and canola oil. In three additions, alternately stir the wet and dry ingredients into the eggs. Divide the batter between the muffin pans. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes
3. Cool for 15 minutes. Lift the cupcakes from the pans. Cool completely.
Frosting
1. Melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates and 1 ounce of the butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
2. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into a large bowl and stir in the salt and milk. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter, mixing until well combined. Add the remaining butter in one-inch pieces, completely mixing in each piece before adding another. Mix until smooth. If necessary, stir occasionally, let the frosting sit at room temperature to firm up and become spreadable.
3. Out of the middle of each cupcake, cut out a piece about 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inches deep. (Feel free to nibble on the scraps.) Fill each of the holes with some of the espresso caramel. Spread frosting on the top of each cupcake and serve.
Espresso Caramel Bourbon Milk Shake
I haven’t quite figured out if these should be served for cocktails or dessert. Maybe both? Each serving is a cup. Feel free to make it bigger or smaller.
Makes 4 servings
4 cups vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons of your favorite bourbon
6 tablespoons Espresso Caramel Sauce
Put the ice cream, milk, bourbon, and espresso caramel in a blender and mix until smooth. Add a little more milk for a thinner consistency.
Baked Pears with Almonds and Espresso Caramel
Roasting pears brings out their flavors. Adding almonds and espresso caramel creates an easy gluten free dessert.
Makes 8 servings
4 firm ripe pears
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ounces (3/4 cup) natural almonds, toasted
Cream
1/4 vanilla bean paste or extract
1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup toasted whole natural almonds
1/2 cup Espresso Caramel Sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Peel, halve, and core the pears. Place them in a single layer, cored side up, in an ovenproof baking dish. (If the pears won’t sit upright, slice a thin piece off the bottom of each one.)
3. While the pears are baking, prepare the cream.
Combine the vanilla bean with the cream and sugar. Whip the cream until thickened but still pourable.
To Serve
Put some cream in the bottom of each of 8 bowls. Place a warm pear on top. Sprinkle almonds and drizzle espresso caramel over and around the pears. Serve immediately.