Mocha Shell Ice Cream Topping

Did you realize how ridiculously easy it is to make "Magic Shell" - the hardened chocolate topping of our youth (depending on your age, of course)? It's literally just two ingredients - chocolate and coconut oil. The "magic" was watching the topping change from an ooey gooey sauce to a hard chocolate shell and then cracking it to get a chunk of chocolate with each bite of ice cream.

By now we all know that Coffee Syrup and chocolate are heavenly together, so I've added some for even more magical, chocolatey, delicious goodness!

• 4 oz chocolate, chopped (or approx 3/4 cup choc chips)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp Coffee Syrup
 

Melt chips, coconut oil and Coffee Syrup in metal or glass bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until melted.  (Alternatively, microwave ingredients - in a glass bowl - in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.)

Let cool a bit. Pour over ice cream and let it sit for a minute to harden. Crack and enjoy!

Sweet Red-Eye Gravy

Y'all, seriously though, try this. This is definitely not health food, but daaaaaammmnnn it's good!

RED-EYE GRAVY

• Country ham steak
• Coffee Syrup

Start with a big piece of country ham (or a ham steak, for us Northerners). Fry that baby up in a hot pan (maybe even with a little extra oil). Once nice and sizzled, remove it from the pan. To those precious drippings left in the pan, stir in some Coffee Syrup - about half the amount of drippings. Simmer on medium heat for about one minute, stirring constantly. There may not be much, but a little goes a long way.

 

Drizzle the "gravy" over your ham, your potatoes, your broccoli (to be healthy), your significant other, everything!! :)

Buzzy French Toast

Buzz up your french toast with Coffee Syrup!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp Coffee Syrup
• ~ 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 thick slices of bread (preferably cinnamon swirl or brioche)

Let griddle or pan warm up on medium heat.  Combine all wet ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Melt a pat of butter on the griddle (optional, but yum), dip bread in egg mixture and cook each side until dark and golden.

Top with a 50/50 mix of Coffee Syrup and Maple Syrup.

Coffee Milk

Coffee Milk - it's like chocolate milk, but with delicious, sweet coffee flavor! Did you know that Coffee Milk is the official drink of Rhode Island?

Also great with Oat, Almond, soy or any other non-dairy "milk" for a vegan version!

 COFFEE MILK

• 8 oz milk
• 1 Tbsp Coffee Syrup (but more or less to taste)

Coffee Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are already a delicious treat, but add some Coffee Syrup to the filling and frosting and you get sweet perfection!

Dough

• 2 1/2 tsp instant or bread machine yeast
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Pan

• 4 Tbsp butter, softened - rub onto bottom of 9x13" pan

Filling

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 Tbsp Coffee Syrup

Coffee Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 6 Tbsp butter, softened 
• 2 Tbsp Coffee Syrup 
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

DOUGH

1. In a 4-cup measuring cup, combine milk, butter, sugar and salt. Microwave on high for one minute, or until warm (about 100° F). Whisk in the eggs.
2. Put flour and instant yeast in stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 
3. Add milk mixture and mix on low. Scrape down bowl occasionally, until dough forms a soft mass and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5-6 minutes.
4. Switch to dough hook knead with dough hook on low.  If needed, sprinkle in a bit of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl. 
5. When dough is smooth, not sticky, and springs back when you press it with your finger, place  dough in a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place (in off oven or microwave) at room temperature until almost doubled, 45-60 minutes.
6. Prepare 9x13 pan by rubbing with 1/4 cup softened butter.

FILLING 

• Make Coffee Butter: in small bowl, stir together butter and Coffee Syrup with a rubber spatula. 
• In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to about 16" x 20" rectangle.
• Spread coffee butter onto dough with a rubber or offset spatula, then sprinkle with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
• Roll up the dough to form a tight cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 12 rolls (use a sawing motion so as not to smoosh the dough - or you can even use a piece of dental floss!) A good technique for equal rolls - cut cylinder in half, then half again, then cut each quarter into three equal pieces. Place in the prepared pan.
• Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 45-60 minutes.

BAKING AND ICING

• When rolls are nearly done rising, preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
• While buns are cooling, make icing. Mix cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, Coffee Syrup, vanilla, and salt with a mixer until smooth. 
• Spread frosting over warm (not hot) rolls. 

This recipe was created from a combination of various recipes with my own tweaks - but for great tips on preparing dough, proofing, etc - check out the Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls copycat Recipe from Jo Cooks.

Sweet Irish Coffee Recipe

Whip up this traditional cocktail with a smooth sweetness provided by Sweet & Cute Coffee Syrup.

IRISH COFFEE

• 1 cup coffee 
• 1 Tbsp Coffee Syrup
• 1.5 oz Irish Whiskey  
• Dollop of whipped cream

Love my Chemex

Grandma Rosie's Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies

My Grandma Rosie was a loving soul who inspired my love of baking and taught me that food is love.  In honor of her birthday (she would be turning 97), I'm sharing my favorite recipe of hers - Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies. I did make some tweaks - used Coffee Syrup to boost the chocolatey-ness and olive oil and dark chocolate chips to bump up the health factor - but they still have the deliciousness of a grandmother's touch.

It's not the most precise recipe - my notes literally say, "mix oil and sugar; milk, baking powder, etc. flour last (as needed for wet dough)." No mention of sifting dry ingredients first or even folding in the chips. That's how she worked - recipes from memory and instinct, so writing it down was novel for her, but this recipe is easy and forgiving and you only dirty one bowl!

COOKIE INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil (or canola)
• 1/2 cup Coffee Syrup*
• 1/4 cup sugar (*if not using Coffee Syrup, use 3/4 c sugar)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups flour (more if needed)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

GLAZE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup confectionary sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 2 Tbsp Coffee Syrup (optional)
• water

MAKE COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, whisk together oil, Coffee Syrup, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Sprinkle on cocoa, cinnamon and baking powder and whisk a bit. Add flour and stir until flour is just mixed in. If dough seems too wet, add more flour. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop ~1" balls and then roll them in palms to get them smooth. Place about 1" apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Bake for about 12 minutes until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

GLAZE
In a pourable measuring cup, stir confectionary sugar, cocoa, and Coffee Syrup (if using) to form a paste. Add just enough water to get a thick but slightly flowing consistency (add a little at a time, stirring in between).

Place rack of cookies over a cookie sheet or piece of parchment (to catch the dripped glaze) and drizzle each cookie with glaze (note: you can make your glaze thicker and "frost" each cookie).

Let frosting set, then store in an airtight container. I like to store them in the fridge as I think they taste even better cold!

Happy Birthday Grandma Rosie!! Thank you for all your love and wonderful treats! Love, Tina