Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake

This recipe reimagines the classic whiskey-spiked Irish coffee as a decadent mocha layer cake filled with coffee-whiskey whipped cream and topped with white and dark chocolate shavings.

For the cake layers

• 
  
  Unsalted butter for the pans
  
  


• 
  
  10-1/8 oz. (2-1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2-5/8 oz. (3/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup canola oil
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup hot coffee
  
  

For the coffee-whiskey whipped cream

• 
  
  1 Tbs. instant espresso granules
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
  
  


• 
  
  3 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
  
  

To finish the cake

• 
  
  1 4-oz. block semisweet chocolate (about 1-inch thick), at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1 4-oz. block white chocolate (about 1-inch thick), at room temperature
  
  

Make the cake

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter three 9x2-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Butter the parchment.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer), briefly blend the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix at low speed, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is thick and creamy, like chocolate frosting, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the hot coffee, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Divide the batter equally among the pans.

Bake, switching positions and rotating the pans halfway through, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it and the center feels firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on racks.

Make the coffee-whiskey whipped cream

Clean and chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. In a measuring cup, stir the instant espresso into the whiskey until completely dissolved. In the chilled bowl, whip the cream, brown sugar, and whiskey mixture on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Finish the cake

Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the cake pans and turn the cakes out onto a large cutting board; peel off the parchment.

Transfer one layer to a cake plate and spread a third of the whipped cream on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; repeat with the second layer. Put the top layer in place and spread the remaining whipped cream out to the edge.

To make the chocolate shavings, put a piece of waxed paper or foil on a baking sheet. Microwave each block of chocolate on medium power for 20 to 30 seconds to soften slightly, then draw a vegetable peeler along the chocolate bar’s edge, letting the curls fall onto the waxed paper. Make enough curls of both colors to top the cake generously, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 oz. each. Refrigerate the shavings to make them easier to handle.

Arrange the shavings on top of the cake and serve.

Irish Coffee

This cocktail is always served in an Irish coffee cup, which is clear to show off the light cream against the dark coffee and has a handle to prevent burns from a hot glass. Warm the glasses by filling them with hot water and letting them sit for a few minutes before pouring out the water.

• 
  
  1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups strong hot coffee
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup heavy cream
  
  

Combine the brown sugar and 2 Tbs. water in a 1-quart saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar is just dissolved. You’ll have 1/4 cup of syrup; depending on how sweet you like your Irish coffee, you may not need it all.

Pour 1/2 cup of the coffee, 3 Tbs. of the whiskey, and 2 to 3 tsp. of the brown sugar syrup into each of 4 warmed 6-oz. glass Irish coffee mugs.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream with a whisk just until it’s frothy and slightly thickened but does not yet hold a peak, about 1 minute. With a soup spoon, float about 3/4 inch of the lightly whipped cream on top of each coffee and serve immediately.

Mocha-Chocolate Fudge

This creamy chocolate fudge is the perfect gift for the serious coffee lovers on your list.

• 
  
  3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter; more at room temperature for buttering the thermometer and pan
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup cocoa nibs
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. instant espresso or coffee
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  25 coffee beans (optional)
  
  

Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, instant coffee, and salt in a large (4-quart) heavy-duty saucepan and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236°F to 238°F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110°F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. After beating the fudge, stir in 1/2 cup cocoa nibs. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. If you like, lightly score the fudge into 25 pieces and place a coffee bean in the center of each piece. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frozen Affogato Shake with Espresso Granita

Affogato is an Italian stroke of genius: a quick, elegant dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of cold vanilla gelato. The espresso melts some of the gelato, creating a bittersweet, creamy sauce. I borrowed that idea for this shake, but instead of using the hot espresso, I froze it into an icy granita with which I topped the a vanilla shake. You get the classic affogato flavor dynamic-intense coffee playing against smooth, mellow vanilla, and the granita even adds a bit of crunch to the shake. Granita couldn't be simpler to make. As the sweetened espresso freezes, use a dinner fork to break up the ice crystals into a loose coffee snow.
Visit our Drinks & Entertaining page for more fun summer drinks and shakes.

• 
  
  8 shots freshly  pulled espresso (about 1 cup), at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  5 Tbs. sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  8 medium scoops French vanilla ice cream (about 1 quart), softened until just melty at the edges
  
  

Tip:

Don't substitute regular brewed coffee for the espresso; you really need that concentrated coffee flavor to counter the rich vanilla shake.

For the espresso granita:

Stir the espresso and sugar in a shallow container to dissolve the sugar completely. Cover and freeze until softly frozen (not solid), 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and gently run a dinner fork through the frozen mass to break it down into loose, icy crystals. Cover the container and return it to the freezer. Freeze until firm, checking and raking the granita with the fork every hour or two to keep the crystals loose and fine, at least 7 hours.

For the shake:

Place the milk, vanilla extract, and ice cream in a blender and pulse several times to begin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, top each with about 1/2 cup espresso granita, and serve at once.

Chocolate Irish Whiskey Cake

This recipe reimagines the classic whiskey-spiked Irish coffee as a decadent mocha layer cake filled with coffee-whiskey whipped cream and topped with white and dark chocolate shavings.

For the cake layers

• 
  
  Unsalted butter for the pans
  
  


• 
  
  10-1/8 oz. (2-1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2-5/8 oz. (3/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup canola oil
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup hot coffee
  
  

For the coffee-whiskey whipped cream

• 
  
  1 Tbs. instant espresso granules
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup Irish whiskey, such as Jameson
  
  


• 
  
  3 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
  
  

To finish the cake

• 
  
  1 4-oz. block semisweet chocolate (about 1-inch thick), at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1 4-oz. block white chocolate (about 1-inch thick), at room temperature
  
  

Make the cake

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter three 9x2-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Butter the parchment.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer), briefly blend the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix at low speed, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is thick and creamy, like chocolate frosting, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the hot coffee, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Divide the batter equally among the pans.

Bake, switching positions and rotating the pans halfway through, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it and the center feels firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on racks.

Make the coffee-whiskey whipped cream

Clean and chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. In a measuring cup, stir the instant espresso into the whiskey until completely dissolved. In the chilled bowl, whip the cream, brown sugar, and whiskey mixture on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Finish the cake

Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the cake pans and turn the cakes out onto a large cutting board; peel off the parchment.

Transfer one layer to a cake plate and spread a third of the whipped cream on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; repeat with the second layer. Put the top layer in place and spread the remaining whipped cream out to the edge.

To make the chocolate shavings, put a piece of waxed paper or foil on a baking sheet. Microwave each block of chocolate on medium power for 20 to 30 seconds to soften slightly, then draw a vegetable peeler along the chocolate bar’s edge, letting the curls fall onto the waxed paper. Make enough curls of both colors to top the cake generously, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 oz. each. Refrigerate the shavings to make them easier to handle.

Arrange the shavings on top of the cake and serve.

Chicory Coffee Pecan Pie

It’s a beloved New Orleans tradition to add roasted, ground chicory root to coffee. The resulting chicory coffee, which you can buy at well-stocked grocery stores, adds a delicious bitter undertone to this pie. If you can’t find chicory coffee, use dark-roasted regular coffee.  

For the pie dough

• 
  
  7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  6 oz. (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  
  


• 
  
  5 to 7 Tbs. ice water
  
  

For the filling

• 
  
  1/4 cup ground chicory coffee, such as Café Du Monde or Community Coffee
  
  


• 
  
  1/2  cup plus 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  8 large egg yolks
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
  
  

Make the pie dough

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the largest pieces are about the size of corn kernels, 8 to 12 one-second pulses. Drizzle 5 Tbs. of the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture becomes a moist, crumbly-looking dough that holds together when squeezed in your hand, 4 to 6 pulses. If the dough is still dry, add another tablespoon or two of ice water and test again.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently gather and press the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

Let the dough sit at room temperature to soften slightly (it should be firm but not rock hard), 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how long it was chilled. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin until it’s about 13 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Roll from the center of the dough to the edges and try to use as few passes as possible to avoid overworking the dough. After every few passes, run an offset spatula or a bench knife under the dough to be sure it isn’t sticking, and give the dough a quarter turn. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin only as needed—excess flour makes the crust tough.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling it around the rolling pin and unrolling it into the plate. You can also fold the dough in half and unfold it into the plate. To fit the dough into the plate, gently lift the edges to create enough slack to line the sides without stretching the dough. Trim off all but 3/4 inch of the overhang. Roll the dough under itself to build up the edge of the crust. Crimp the edge of the crust with your fingers. With the tines of a fork, prick the crust all over. Chill for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in the freezer.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line the piecrust with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the bottom looks dry and the edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool on a rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and put a large, rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack.

Make the filling

Tip:

Pour the filling over the pecans in a slow, spiral motion; if you go too fast, the pecans may move, leaving gaps in the finished pie.

Combine the chicory coffee and cream in a 1-quart saucepan and heat over medium heat just until small bubbles form at the edge of the cream, 3 minutes. Stir, remove from the heat, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Put the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl set on a kitchen towel and add the vanilla. Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, coffee mixture, and salt in a 1-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat just until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisking vigorously and constantly, very slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the yolks. Strain through a fine strainer set over a 1-quart measuring cup.
 

Fill and bake the pie

Spread the pecans evenly in the piecrust. Slowly pour the filling over the pecans. Put the pie on the baking sheet and bake until the center of the pie is slightly firm to the touch and the filling doesn’t wobble when the pie is nudged, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Cafe Con Tres Leches Cake (Coffee Tres Leches Cake)

This coffee-spiked dessert tastes like a delicious cross between classic Mexican tres leches cake and tiramisu.

For the cake:

• 
  
  Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  5 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  

For the soaking liquid:

• 
  
  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup evaporated milk
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch kosher salt
  
  

For the topping:

• 
  
  1 tsp. instant coffee
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  Chocolate curls or toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
  
  

Bake the cake:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish or a nonreactive metal pan. Line the bottom of the baking dish or pan with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute more.

Clean and dry the beaters and then beat the egg whites, gradually increasing the speed to high, until they reach soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream, continuing to beat on high, until you reach firm but not dry peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Whisk a third of the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in a third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, alternately, in two more batches each, until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish or pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.

Return the cake to the baking dish or pan (the cake will soak up more of the liquid if returned to the pan it was baked in), or invert it onto a rimmed platter.

Soak the cake:

In a 2 quart saucepan, stir together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, coffee, and salt until the condensed milk is well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to avoid scorching, until it begins to bubble around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof 4 cup measuring cup.

With a toothpick, prick the cake to the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the soaking liquid slowly over the cake, starting at the edges and pausing to let it soak in before adding more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Top the cake:

In a large bowl, stir the instant coffee into 2 Tbs. of the heavy cream until dissolved. Add the remaining cream and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat just until it holds firm peaks, 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to overbeat). Spread the whipped cream all over the top of the cake, sprinkle the chocolate curls or almonds over the top, and serve.

Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie

For the crust:

• 
  
  6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling out the crust
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (4 Tbs.) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (4 Tbs.) vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (put it in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting)
  
  

For the filling:

• 
  
  3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  4 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. instant espresso powder (or instant coffee)
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. coffee liqueur (Kahlúa or Caffé Lolita)
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups lightly toasted, coarsely chopped pecans
  
  


• 
  
  About 1/2 cup perfect pecan halves
  
  

Make the crust:

Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor just to blend. Add the butter and shortening and pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Tossing and stirring quickly with a fork, gradually add enough cold water (2 to 4 Tbs.) that the dough just begins to come together. It should clump together easily if lightly squeezed but not feel wet or sticky. With your hands, gather the dough and form it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough for 2 hours or up to 2 days before rolling. The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until pliable, 10 to 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick, 13-inch-diameter round. Be sure to pick up the dough several times and rotate it, reflouring the surface lightly to prevent sticking. I use a giant spatula or the bottom of a removable-bottom tart pan to move the dough around. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch Pyrex pie pan and trim the edges so there's a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the overhang underneath itself to create a raised edge and then decoratively crimp or flute the edge. (Save the scraps for patching the shell later, if necessary). Chill until the dough firms up, at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line the pie shell with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until the edges of the crust are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and beans or weights. If necessary, gently repair any cracks with a smear of the excess dough. Transfer the shell to a rack to cool.

Make the filling:

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a small metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Dissolve the instant espresso in 1 Tbs. hot water and add to the egg mixture, along with the coffee liqueur and the melted chocolate and butter. Whisk to blend.

Evenly spread the toasted pecan pieces in the pie shell. To form a decorative border, arrange the pecan halves around the perimeter of the pie shell, on top of the pecan pieces, keeping the points of the pecans facing in and the backs just touching the crust. Carefully pour the filling over the pecans until the shell is three-quarters full. Pour the remaining filling into a liquid measuring cup or small pitcher. Transfer the pie to the oven and pour in the remaining filling. (The pecans will rise to the top as the pie bakes.)

Bake the pie until the filling puffs up, just starts to crack, and appears fairly set, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer it to a rack and allow it to cool completely (at least 4 hours) before serving.

Cafe Con Tres Leches Cake (Coffee Tres Leches Cake)

This coffee-spiked dessert tastes like a delicious cross between classic Mexican tres leches cake and tiramisu.

For the cake:

• 
  
  Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  5 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  

For the soaking liquid:

• 
  
  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup evaporated milk
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch kosher salt
  
  

For the topping:

• 
  
  1 tsp. instant coffee
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  Chocolate curls or toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
  
  

Bake the cake:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish or a nonreactive metal pan. Line the bottom of the baking dish or pan with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute more.

Clean and dry the beaters and then beat the egg whites, gradually increasing the speed to high, until they reach soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream, continuing to beat on high, until you reach firm but not dry peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Whisk a third of the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in a third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, alternately, in two more batches each, until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish or pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.

Return the cake to the baking dish or pan (the cake will soak up more of the liquid if returned to the pan it was baked in), or invert it onto a rimmed platter.

Soak the cake:

In a 2 quart saucepan, stir together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, coffee, and salt until the condensed milk is well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to avoid scorching, until it begins to bubble around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof 4 cup measuring cup.

With a toothpick, prick the cake to the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the soaking liquid slowly over the cake, starting at the edges and pausing to let it soak in before adding more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Top the cake:

In a large bowl, stir the instant coffee into 2 Tbs. of the heavy cream until dissolved. Add the remaining cream and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat just until it holds firm peaks, 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to overbeat). Spread the whipped cream all over the top of the cake, sprinkle the chocolate curls or almonds over the top, and serve.

Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake

Who needs a mochaccino when you can get your coffee-chocolate fix in this creamy cheesecake? Create your own customized cheesecake recipe with our Recipe Maker.

• 
  
  8 oz. chocolate wafers, finely crushed (2 cups of crumbs)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  7 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  
  


• 
  
  3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup crème fraîche
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  Table salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. instant espresso powder
  
  


• 
  
  4 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish
  
  

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.


In a medium bowl, stir together the chocolate wafer crumbs and 3 Tbs. granulated sugar. Mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan (to press, use plastic wrap or a flat-bottom measuring cup). Bake until the crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, 9 to 12 minutes. Let the pan cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.


In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, crème fraîche, flour, and a pinch of table salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the cheese has no lumps. Add the 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.


Add the vanilla and instant espresso powder and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t overbeat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.


Bake at 300°F until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 to 65 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen at this point for up to 1 month (see make-ahead tip, below).


Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate.


Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans and serve immediately. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice.

Chicory Coffee Pecan Pie

It’s a beloved New Orleans tradition to add roasted, ground chicory root to coffee. The resulting chicory coffee, which you can buy at well-stocked grocery stores, adds a delicious bitter undertone to this pie. If you can’t find chicory coffee, use dark-roasted regular coffee.  

For the pie dough

• 
  
  7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  6 oz. (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  
  


• 
  
  5 to 7 Tbs. ice water
  
  

For the filling

• 
  
  1/4 cup ground chicory coffee, such as Café Du Monde or Community Coffee
  
  


• 
  
  1/2  cup plus 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  8 large egg yolks
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
  
  

Make the pie dough

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the largest pieces are about the size of corn kernels, 8 to 12 one-second pulses. Drizzle 5 Tbs. of the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture becomes a moist, crumbly-looking dough that holds together when squeezed in your hand, 4 to 6 pulses. If the dough is still dry, add another tablespoon or two of ice water and test again.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently gather and press the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

Let the dough sit at room temperature to soften slightly (it should be firm but not rock hard), 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how long it was chilled. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin until it’s about 13 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Roll from the center of the dough to the edges and try to use as few passes as possible to avoid overworking the dough. After every few passes, run an offset spatula or a bench knife under the dough to be sure it isn’t sticking, and give the dough a quarter turn. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin only as needed—excess flour makes the crust tough.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling it around the rolling pin and unrolling it into the plate. You can also fold the dough in half and unfold it into the plate. To fit the dough into the plate, gently lift the edges to create enough slack to line the sides without stretching the dough. Trim off all but 3/4 inch of the overhang. Roll the dough under itself to build up the edge of the crust. Crimp the edge of the crust with your fingers. With the tines of a fork, prick the crust all over. Chill for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in the freezer.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line the piecrust with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the bottom looks dry and the edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool on a rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and put a large, rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack.

Make the filling

Tip:

Pour the filling over the pecans in a slow, spiral motion; if you go too fast, the pecans may move, leaving gaps in the finished pie.

Combine the chicory coffee and cream in a 1-quart saucepan and heat over medium heat just until small bubbles form at the edge of the cream, 3 minutes. Stir, remove from the heat, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Put the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl set on a kitchen towel and add the vanilla. Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, coffee mixture, and salt in a 1-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat just until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisking vigorously and constantly, very slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the yolks. Strain through a fine strainer set over a 1-quart measuring cup.
 

Fill and bake the pie

Spread the pecans evenly in the piecrust. Slowly pour the filling over the pecans. Put the pie on the baking sheet and bake until the center of the pie is slightly firm to the touch and the filling doesn’t wobble when the pie is nudged, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Frozen Affogato Shake with Espresso Granita

Affogato is an Italian stroke of genius: a quick, elegant dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of cold vanilla gelato. The espresso melts some of the gelato, creating a bittersweet, creamy sauce. I borrowed that idea for this shake, but instead of using the hot espresso, I froze it into an icy granita with which I topped the a vanilla shake. You get the classic affogato flavor dynamic-intense coffee playing against smooth, mellow vanilla, and the granita even adds a bit of crunch to the shake. Granita couldn't be simpler to make. As the sweetened espresso freezes, use a dinner fork to break up the ice crystals into a loose coffee snow.
Visit our Drinks & Entertaining page for more fun summer drinks and shakes.

• 
  
  8 shots freshly  pulled espresso (about 1 cup), at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  5 Tbs. sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  8 medium scoops French vanilla ice cream (about 1 quart), softened until just melty at the edges
  
  

Tip:

Don't substitute regular brewed coffee for the espresso; you really need that concentrated coffee flavor to counter the rich vanilla shake.

For the espresso granita:

Stir the espresso and sugar in a shallow container to dissolve the sugar completely. Cover and freeze until softly frozen (not solid), 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and gently run a dinner fork through the frozen mass to break it down into loose, icy crystals. Cover the container and return it to the freezer. Freeze until firm, checking and raking the granita with the fork every hour or two to keep the crystals loose and fine, at least 7 hours.

For the shake:

Place the milk, vanilla extract, and ice cream in a blender and pulse several times to begin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, top each with about 1/2 cup espresso granita, and serve at once.