Smoked Coffee Barbecue Sauce

Thursday, July 23rd, 2015 by

BBQBlog

If you haven’t tried smoked coffee yet, here’s another reason: it’s fun to cook with. Available during the warmer months of the year, our smoked coffee is wood-smoked in an actual smokehouse and tastes exactly like campfire coffee tastes in your dreams (minus the overcooked bitterness and mouthful of grounds). Coffee is a great way to add complexity to recipes, and the smokiness  complements more robust flavors, perfect for meats as a rub or marinade, or as an addition to chili.

This recipe uses our standard Smoked Coffee blend, although we also offer French Roast Smoked Coffee if you prefer the flavor of a dark roast, as well as Maple Bacon and Vanilla Bourbon Smoked Coffee. The result is sweet, tangy, smoky, with a subtle spiciness from the ginger. If you like heat, kick it up a notch with some cayenne or finely chopped chili peppers.

What you will need

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brewed smoked coffee (strong)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon grated ginger 

1/2 ounce dark (70%) chocolate

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine ketchup, coffee, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and ginger and bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Lower the heat and stir in the chocolate and smoked paprika until chocolate is melted, then let simmer over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors have mellowed and melded, 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.

Behind the Flavor: Black Forest Cake

Monday, June 22nd, 2015 by

Black Forest Splash

We unveiled a new flavor this month: Black Forest Cake, inspired by this delicious rustic version the traditional German dessert. While we feel Black Forest Cake coffee does the flavor justice, we did eat the cake pictured above in the name of research and feel slightly guilty that we didn’t share. So, here’s the recipe, adapted loosely from Butter and Brioche, baked by our shipping supervisor Lori.
While kirsch liqueur is traditionally used in the cherry topping, we skipped that step with store-bought cherry pie filling, but gave it a hillbilly twist, adding moonshine-soaked cherries on top. Consider it the rural New Jersey version.

Black Forest Cake Newsletter

Ingredients
For the cake (three layers):
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup + 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1-1/3 cup sour cream (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup + 3 tbsp boiling water
For the frosting:
  • 17.5 oz mascarpone cheese
  • 6-8 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons cup heavy whipping cream
For the cherries:
Directions
Bake the cake:
  1. Heat an oven to 350 F. Grease and line three 7 inch cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir to combine.
  3. Add the sugar, eggs, sour cream, butter and hot water. Stir gently until the batter is uniform and smooth.
  4. Divide between the three prepared cake pans.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes then let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Let the cakes cool completely before leveling any domed tops and assembling.
Whip the cream:
  1. Beat the mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar until creamy. Add the cream and whip until thickened and spreadable, being carefully not to over whip and split the mixture.
Put it all together:
  1. Place the first cake layer on a serving platter. Spread a thick layer of the mascarpone cream frosting on-top. Place cherry topping over the frosting and gently press in to indent.
  2. Place the second cake layer over the first and repeat the layering process as before.
  3. Top with the third cake layer. Decorate with a generous amount of cherry filling, adding some moonshine cherries (recommended) to the mix. Refrigerator before serving.

Hit the Books with Eyes Wide Open!

Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 by

Eyes Wide Open

 

Whether of not you’re heading back to school, caffeine can be a real friend on slow mornings (afternoons, or evenings).  It’s a little known fact that caffeine is lost during the roasting process and the lighter the coffee, the stronger the buzz, generally speaking. Naturally high in caffeine, we keep the roast level light on our Eyes Wide Open Blend to supercharge your study sessions, or anything else you need to stay awake for.

Fall Preview

Friday, August 15th, 2014 by

If you’re having the summer of your life and the early arrival of Halloween decorations at stores everywhere seems rude, stop reading. Enjoy the pool, we’ll see you in a few weeks.

If however, you agree that fall is the most delicious time of the year, get ready! All of your favorite fall flavors will be returning to our site soon along with new creations like Pumpkin Roll coffee (see below). Excited? Well, the truth is they’re already here. You can have them. They never really left. All of our seasonal flavors are available year-round by phone. You can have your Autumn Harvest flavored coffee, or your Candy Cane, or your Chocolate Bunny, any time you please. Give us a call.

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin roll: gooey pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling. Coming to your coffee cup.

Waiting for fall? Tell us your favorite flavors of the season, coffee & tea related or not!

Strawberry Wave Cheesecake: The recipe behind the flavor

Monday, August 11th, 2014 by

Like long days lounging at the Jersey shore, enjoying buckets of fried seafood and spectacular people-watching, Strawberry Wave Cheesecake coffee is a seasonal delight you won’t find anywhere else. Inspired by the glorious cake below — baked by our shipping supervisor Lori — it’s here for only a short, sweet time, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Strawberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake may not be the first dessert that comes to mind if you’re in the mood for something light, but this recipe, adapted from a letter published in a 1962 issue of Gourmet magazine, promises to be just that — for 1962 anyway. The original recipe, titled “Mrs. Davis’ Unsinkable Cheesecake”, was named for the creator’s unsinkable determination to create a fluffier, less disastrously caloric version of the classic dessert.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb cream cheese

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

Strawberry jam

For the topping:

2 pints fresh strawberries

3-6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

 

Directions

1. Beat together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. While beating, add the egg yolks one at a time and beat until very smooth.

2. Add the sour cream, Confectioners sugar, vanilla, and citrus zest.

3. In a separate bowl, beat 4 egg whites with 1/2 t salt until stiff. Fold into the cheese mixture.

4. Pour batter into a 10-inch springform pan lined with a cookie or crumb crust.

5. Drop spoonfuls of strawberry jam into the batter and cut through the jam and batter with a knife to create a swirl effect.

6. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit (door closed) for 45 minutes or more. The cake should cool completely in the oven. Remove from the pan when cold.

7. For the topping, mix 2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced, with 3-6 T granulated sugar and 1/2 T fresh lemon juice. Serve on the side if you’re proud of your swirling knife work or just smother the whole thing in gorgeous juicy berries.

 

Strawberry Wave