I’ve been making Espresso Martinis for a while now and wondered how I could make it a more intense flavour without watering down the amount of alcohol or making too bitter. I hit upon the idea of creating a espresso vodka infusion to use as the base.
Ingredients
1/2 cup of whole Espresso Coffee Beans (or Other Dark Roast Beans)
1 litre of Vodka
Method
Roughly crush the coffee beans using a pestle and mortar.
Add to a sterilised 1.5 ltr KIlner jar, and pour over the Vodka.
Seal and allow the beans to steep in a cool dark place for 7 days (or at least a minimum of 2 days if you can’t wait)
Strain through muslin to remove the solids, and again through a coffee filter if you want a clear liquid.
Decant to a bottle and enjoy responsibly….. I’ll be using it in a ‘Coffee Ciapiroskwa’ (recipe to follow)
*Gluten Free – Although I make every effort to ensure that the ingredients list are gluten free, you should double check at the time of using as manufacturers change the base ingredients of their products frequently.
Espresso Martini Picture by Valentin David on Flickr
This sophisticated coffee cocktail is best drank at elevenses for a little pick-me-up! Hopefully “the sun is over the yard-arm” somewhere in the world by then!
I use chilled espresso rather than a coffee liqueur for that good old caffeine kick
Serves 1 – Gluten Free*
Ingredients
50ml/2fl oz vodka
25ml/1fl oz Galliano, or similar liqueur
1 tsp Gomme or sugar syrup
25ml/1fl oz freshly brewed and chilled Espresso coffee
3 coffee beans, for garnish
Method
Fill a Boston Shaker half full with cracked ice
Add the vodka, liqueur, syrup and fresh coffee
Shake hard to ensure a foam.
Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the coffee beans.
Enjoy responsibly…..
*Gluten Free – Although I make every effort to ensure that the ingredients list are gluten free, you should double check at the time of using as manufacturers change the base ingredients of their products frequently.
Another Waitrose recipe index card, this time from November 2006. It’s for an individual and lighter version of the classic tiramisu and makes a cracking sophisticated dessert for a dinner party. You can impress with out any real effort!
Ingredients
250g tub Light Mascarpone
½ x 500g pot 0% fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp golden icing sugar, sifted
4 tbsp coffee liqueur, like Tia Maria
100ml strong espresso or filter coffee, cooled
200g Chocolate Chip Biscotti
25g Lindt Excellence Coffee Intense Dark Chocolate, coarsely grated
½ tbsp cocoa powder
Serves 4
Method
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone, yogurt and icing sugar together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
Add the Tia Maria to the cooled coffee.
Dip 12-16 of the biscotti into the coffee mixture one at a time, then immediately divide between 4 x 250-300ml teacups, placing the biscotti in the base of each.
Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over the biscuits in each teacup. Dip the remaining biscuits, one at a time, in the liquid and place in equal amounts in each teacup.
Sprinkle over a thin layer of grated chocolate.
Divide the remaining mascarpone mixture between the teacups and top with a liberal dusting of sifted cocoa powder.
Chill for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Serve…
The flavours will intensify even more if left overnight. For a richer version, use full fat mascapone rather than the lighter one.
You can also make one larger tiramisu, just use a bowl if you don’t have any teacups.
