Recipes for Cook

Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Peach Coffee Smoothie

I have to confess, I made this with peaches that have been in the freezer since last year. Its the old, "Better use them up fast, so I have room for this years!" problem. Thus I had no fresh peaches to use as a prop, and had to make do with a fu-dog instead. He looks suitably refreshed at any rate, and so he should. Ahhhh!

You can make this peachier, or more coffee-like, or creamier, or sweeter, or less sweet; really all these quantities are just suggestions. This is very flexible - and however you make it, just the thing for a hot summer morning, although since the peaches are frozen, you can arrange to make it all year long if you are so inclined.

2 servings
10 minutes advance prep, 10 minutes finishing time,
at least 2 hours freezing time

3 large peaches
1 cup cold brewed coffee
1/3 cup milk or light cream
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Blanch the peaches by dropping them into boiling water for one minute. Remove them to a bowl of cold water, cool them and peel them. Cut them in chunks, discarding the pits, and spread them out on a plate or tray that can go in the freezer. Freeze them until ready to proceed. Keep them sealed up if you are not using them right away.

Its perverse, I know, but now let your frozen peaches sit out for about 10 minutes to soften up slightly. They should still be frozen, but lets not commit blender abuse. Put them in a blender or food processor with the coffee, milk and maple syrup, and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

The quantities of all the ingredients (all 4 of them!) can be adjusted to your taste.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I hosted a baby shower this past weekend and served 2 of these quiches (one with spinach, bacon & swiss, the other with ham, broccoli, cheddar & green onion) and this tasty coffee cake. My sister actually made this coffee cake for my baby shower a couple years ago and it was delicious! Make sure to watch it carefully because although the recipe says to bake it 50-60 minutes, mine only baked for 45 and I thought it was a little dry. I should have taken it out sooner! Oh well. It was still delicious. And it looks really pretty, so its great for something like a shower.

This may look like a long list of stuff, but its really quite easy to whip up. Dont be afraid. :)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cake:

3/4 c. unsalted butter (1.5 sticks), room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

3 extra-large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 c. sour cream

2 1/2 c. cake flour (or 2 1/4 c. flour + 1/4 c. cornstarch)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Streusel:

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tsp. cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Glaze:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan (which no one seems to have, including myself; a bundt pan works just fine).

Cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, powder, and salt. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to batter until just combined. Finish stirring with spatula.

For the streusel, place all ingredients expect walnuts in a bowl and pinch with fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in walnuts.

Spoon half of cake batter into the pan and spread with a knife. Sprinkle 3/4 c. streusel on top. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan and spread. Scatter streusel on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (check after 40). Let cool on wire rack 30 minutes. Carefully transfer cake, streusel side up on serving platter (so youll have to flip it out and then flip it over).

Whisk glaze, adding a few drops of water, if necessary, to make runny. Drizzle over cake.

Source: My sister Wendy, originally from the "Barefoot Contessa"