Five Delicious Recipes That Use Coffee

Happy National Coffee Day!  In honor of this very special day, I'm sharing five delicious recipes that use coffee as an ingredient.  My father-in-law is a Peet's Coffee employee, and this week I helped him set up a display in one of his busiest stores to share these recipes.  Of course you can use other brands than Peet's, but we are definitely fans!

My family has been making Black Russian Cake since I was a kid, and my Mom even shipped one to me at college for my 21st birthday!  We are also huge fans of the Southwestern Steak and Peppers recipe, to the extent that I made an entire jar of the spice rub to keep on hand.

Enjoy!

Black Russian Cake
12 servings, 35 minutes (From Janet Coggins)

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix with pudding

4 large eggs

¾ cup strong brewed Peet’s French Roast coffee

½ c vegetable oil

¾ c combined Kahlua and Crème de Cacao

 

For the topping:

½ c sifted confectioner’s sugar

1 T strong brewed Peet’s French Roast coffee

1 T Kahlua

1 T Crème de Cacao

Directions

• Combine all cake ingredients and beat for 4 minutes at medium speed.  Pour into a well-greased bundt pan or tube pan.
• Bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes.  Cool partially and remove from pan.  While still warm, punch holes in the top of the cake with a fork.
• Mix the topping ingredients well.  Drizzle topping over cake slowly so it soaks in. 

Easy Tiramisu
6 servings, 1 hr. 15 minutes (From allrecipes by KALLISTA)

Ingredients

3 egg yolks

¼ c white sugar

2 t vanilla extract

1 and 1/8 cups mascarpone cheese

24 ladyfingers

1 ½ cups brewed Peet’s Major Dickason’s Blend coffee

1 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

• In a medium bowl, beat yolks with sugar and vanilla until smooth and light yellow.
• Fold mascarpone into yolk mixture and set aside.
• Dip ladyfingers briefly in coffee and arrange 12 of them in the bottom of an 8”x8” pan.
• Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
• Repeat with the remaining cookies and mascarpone.
• Cover and chill 1 hour.  Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving.

Thai Iced Coffee
1 serving, 5 minutes (From Chow Hound by ThePiedPiper)

Ingredients

1 cup strong brewed Peet’s Sumatra coffee

2 – 4 T sugar

¼ t vanilla extract or almond extract

½ t cardamom

Dash of cinnamon

Dash of coriander

Whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half

Directions

• Add sugar, vanilla, and spices to the hot coffee.  Taste for sweetness and add sugar and spices if needed.
• Pour coffee mixture into two or more sections of an ice cube tray and place in freezer.  Place the remainder of the spiced coffee in the refrigerator.
• Once coffee has frozen and chilled, place the ice cubes in a tall glass and pour coffee over.  To create a layered effect, float a spoon on top of the coffee and pour milk into spoon until it overflows to the desired level.
• Serve with a straw and enjoy!

Southwestern Steak and Peppers
4 servings, 35 minutes (From Eating Well Magazine)

Ingredients

½ t ground cumin

½ t ground coriander

½ t chili powder

¼ t salt

¾ t ground pepper

1 lb. boneless top sirloin steak

3 cloves garlic, peeled, 1 halved and 2 minced

3 t olive oil

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

1 t brown sugar

½ c brewed Peet’s Brazil Minas Naturais coffee

¼ c balsamic vinegar

4 cups watercress sprigs

Directions

• Mix cumin, coriander, chili poweder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub steak with cut garlic, then rub spice mix all over the steak. 
• Heat 2 t oil in a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat.  Add the steak and cook to desired doneness, about 4-6 minutes for medium rare.  Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
• Add remaining 1 t of oil to the skillet.  Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.  Add coffee, and vinegar; cook for 3 minutes to intensify flavor.  Season with pepper. 
• To serve, mound 1 cup watercress on each plate.  Top with sautéed peppers and onion, slice the steak thinly across the grain and arrange on the vegetables.  Pour the sauce from the pan over the steak. 

Coffee-Rubbed Cheeseburgers with BBQ Sauce
8 servings (From epicurious by Fred Thompson)

Ingredients

Coffee Rub:

1 T freshly ground Peet’s House Blend coffee

2 t packed golden brown sugar

2 t freshly ground black pepper

½ t ground coriander

½ t dried oregano

½ t fine sea salt

Burgers:

8 sliced Applewood smoked bacon

1 lb. ground chuck beef

1 lb. ground sirloin

8 oz. smoked provolone

8 potato-bread hamburger buns

Toppings:

8 slices red onion

8 slices tomato

BBQ sauce

Directions

• Mix all coffee rub ingredients in a small bowl (can be made up to 1 week in advance) 
• Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Break in half. 
• Gently mix chuck and sirloin in a large bowl.  Form meat into 8 patties, each 3 ½ - 4 inches in diameter and 1/3 – ½ inch thick.  Using thumb, make a slight indentation in center of each burger.
• Preheat grill to medium-high. 
• Sprinkle 1 t coffee rub on top side of each burger.  Place burgers, rub side down, on grill rack.  Grill until slightly charred, about 4 minutes.  Flip. 
• Place 2 bacon slice halves atop each burger.  Cook 3 minutes. 
• Top each with 1 cheese slice.  Cover and cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute. 
• Place burgers atop bottom halves of buns.  Top with onion and tomato slices.  Spoon dollop of BBQ sauce over.  Cover with bun tops and serve.

You might also be interested in these posts:

• Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
• Texas Caviar
• Low Country Boil

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