Aug 31, 2009

Espresso coffee, 3 ways

Are you sleepy too? You look tired. I know I need a pick-me-up.
Can I make some for you too? Something to jolt us out of this inertia? Good idea.
Here, sit. You can have the paper first. Read, relax. Put your feet up while I make us some coffee. But not just any old coffee.



Image copyright Tipi d'aMare

I have three kinds of custom espresso in mind.
Let's begin with something classic.
Image copyright Giardino dei Ciliegi

1. Orange-flavored Espresso
Delicious aromatic after dinner coffee

4-6 large cups of strong espresso
The rind of 2 unwaxed oranges, white pith removed (turns everything bitter)
1 cinnamon stick
Sugar to taste
Milk

Steep the orange rinds and the cinnamon in the hot coffee for 5 minutes, then discard. Pour through a cheesecloth and serve in tall mugs, stained with just a droplet of milk, and sweetened with a suspicion of sugar.
Image copyright Pastry Chef Online

2. Cafè Argentino
Droolworthy caramel cream coffee. Generally used as a base for desserts in Argentina, dulce de leche lends coffee a sweet, almost sensual flavor.
500 ml (2 cups) boiling hot espresso (not too strong)
50 ml (1/4 cup) dulce de leche (can be found in specialty stores)
Milk or cream

Divvy up the coffee in 2-3 large teacups. Add a tablespoon of dulce de leche to each and stir until completely dissolved. 
Add milk or cream and sit down in comfortable chairs, Carlos Gardel playing loud.



3. Nocciolato
Choco/hazelnut coffee. Not your everyday moka. Beyond decadent.

500 ml (2 cups) piping hot, weak espresso (made by adding more water in the making)
50 ml (1/4 cup) hazelnut liqueur (like Frangelico)
50 gr (1/4 cup) Nutella (or any hazelnut-chocolate spread)
Sugar to taste
Cream

Whip the cream with an electric beater until quite stiff and refrigerate. Divvy up the coffee in 2-3 large teacups. Add a shot of Frangelico and 1 heaped tablespoon of Nutella to each, stirring carefully - scraping the sides of the cups - until completely dissolved. Sweeten to your taste (no need, really) and garnish each cup with a dollop of whipped cream.


Which is your favorite?

32 comments:

  1. i think i will go with the caramel today...coffee would be nice...relaxing would be nice...not having to do all this paperwork would be nice...lol. thanks for the brief respite.

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  2. wonderful make over you have given your blog as well. the new header especially...

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  3. Glad you like it all Brian. Thanks for your unwavering support and blogetiquette. You rock

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  4. Lola I like my coffee strong, black and unsweetened so the one I would choose is the orange flavored.
    I have had a similar coffee in Mexico and it is so comforting and delicious.

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  5. I'm partial to the Caffè della Pampa variety!! :)

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  6. Well I haven't tried them yet...but anything with nutella wins for me! So I'll go with that one! :)

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  7. Got any recipes like this that will work in hot chocolate?

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  8. Ummmm
    they all sound good, each for different occasions!

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  9. Georgie, you read my mind...
    As soon as the weather returns us to a chill, I'll be posting all my chocolate knowledge/insane addiction.

    In the meantime, mixing Dutch cocoa, strong espresso and frothy hot milk is always good. Then you can get tricky and start adding flavors. Do you like a little spice in your choc? Add a dash of ground chili pepper powder and go Mayan. Or green tea, vanilla, cinnamon... whatever tickles your fancy.

    Ciao, and thanks everyone for the sweet words!

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  10. The first, not the second, no...the first...May have all three :)?

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  11. Oh you temptress, you! I love the orange one, but we have dulce de leche, made locally by an Argentinean!

    Oh, my... I think I have to have dessert/coffee tonight.

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  12. Oh, divine, all of them. Now, did you say you were whipping them up for us?

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  13. I just love your blog...
    I can always have smile and a good recipe ~

    Now for coffee.... I'm such a whimp...
    I just like cream and that's that...

    Boring? Yes I know!
    : ) Pattee

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  14. I'm more of a tea girl but these coffees sound wonderful - I would have the coffee with booze in it! :-)

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  15. I recently saw a pizza shop that offers a Nutella pizza .... no, I didn't order one!

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  16. Chocolate, hazelnut, + espresso combined??--impossible to resist, especially as it involves Frangelico and whipped cream!

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  17. I think anything with Nutella is instantly my favorite, yum!

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  18. I thought of you at the weekend. My cousin from Paris came to stay and brought a bottle of Prosecco and one of Limoncillo/ Both wonderful, as are most things Italian

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  19. Ciao Lola!
    What an amazing blog header photograph! Bellissima! I think I'll go for the orange-flavored coffee. Love the idea of the cinnamon! Mmm...

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  20. Great people and great country..i like to visit there personally..

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  21. Nocciolato, please, and also would you please bring me the leftover Nutella?

    Oh, right. There's never any leftover Nutella. I forgot.

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  22. I'll take the one with orange peel, please. Sounds perfect for winter!

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  23. Hi Lola

    I am going to try the orange one thanks.

    Lola in your new header what is attached to he basil..is it a cobweb?

    Happy days

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  24. Capital YUM! Looks delicios, Lola!

    (You ok? I'm ok. It is kind of shocking. The whole thing evolved over the last year, Lola, but I suppose over the last decade. Life is a curious thing but who am I to fight it?)
    xo

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  25. Oh the orange one please? I love the new photo up top, that's the same mortar and pestle I have! and i was thinking the same thing as Delwyn, what is that? a reflection maybe?
    thank you for the yummy drinks bella!
    xoxo

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  26. Thank you all for the feedback, it was a total tie between the 3!

    To answer delwyn and Lori's question about the header photo, the transparency begind the basil plant is the plastic wrapper the storebought vase came in!

    Ciao, xx

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  27. Good heavens, that Nutella concoction is calling my name. I mean, seriously.

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  28. Nocciolato for sure, but it's too late now for one, 12.23. Breakfast tomorrow, for definite. Yum!
    When we were in Sardinia a few years ago, our kids adored the nutella pizzas. It's one great product.

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  29. Oh wow! I'll try all three! I love this and Im sharing this post to my friends!

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