awake during the day, but how often do we think to use coffee as an ingredient
in the food we eat? You could be using that coffee maker to prepare your main
course and not just at the end of the meal.Immediately you will think of
desserts or chocolate, which are the most common uses of coffee in food, and we
will discuss these in more detail, but you shouldn't limit your imagination to
sweet product. Coffee can also give a real kick to barbeque glazes, marinades,
chili and even some casseroles. Before you start throwing instant granules
into all your dishes, bear in mind that fresh coffee produces the best flavour.
You want to use freshly ground beans, preferably ground yourself if you have the
equipment. If you need to brew the coffee, make it with clean filtered water
and don't make it until you actually need it. Generally coffee to be used in
food should be at least twice as strong as drinking coffee depending on your
tastes. One popular savoury sauce to make use of coffee is meatloaf sauce, which
is best served with Australian meatloaf. You need to mix a tablespoon of coffee
with a small amount of water, some tomato ketchup, Worcester sauce and a little
dry red wine. Vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, dark brown sugar and some vinegar
are the rest of the ingredients to add to the zesty concoction. You should cook
the meat at three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit for thirty or so
minutes, before adding the sauce and continuing cooking for an additional forty
five minutes. A popular use of coffee in sweet food is espresso brownies, which
will make any social occasion a success. Mix together sugar, a pinch of salt,
and some butter over a low heat. Add some vanilla to taste and broken up
chocolate, preferably sweet milk chocolate to contrast with the bitter coffee.
Add some finely ground dark roast coffee, such as an Italian or French roast.
Mix all the ingredients together and then allow slight cooling. Fold eggs and
flour into the mixture whilst still a little warm. The resulting combination
should be baked in a moderate oven for thirty minutes and allowed to become cold
before sampling. There are so many possibilities when using coffee in your
food, cakes, gateaux, cookies and ice creams all taste fantastic with a coffee
flavouring. Even a simple sponge can be livened up with coffee icing or coffee
cream filling. The popular Italian dessert tiramisu is becoming a global
favourite with its rich combination of espresso, marsala, sponge and mascarpone
cheese. A number of cocktails are now incorporating coffee. As well as the
well known Kahula, various coffee liqueurs such as Tia Maria make versatile
cocktail ingredients. A final possibility is coffee syrup, a perfect topping
to almost any desert or ice cream. You just combine sugar with good quality
double strength brewed coffee and boil to dissolve the sugar. Simmer over a
lower heat until the mixture thickens and then allow to become cool. So get
a little creative with your coffee machines and see what innovative dishes you
can come up with using coffee as the special ingredient.