Coffee lovers rejoice: Today is National Coffee Day!
Coffee is not just about a morning pick-me-up; it’s also great for dessert. And beyond the typical after-dinner coffee with a piece of cake or a cookie – I love using coffee as an ingredient in my desserts.
Here are 5 of my favorite coffee-infused desserts, perfect for your next dinner party, holiday meal, date night, or even just to treat yourself!
Affogato: 3 ingredients, 2 steps, 1 simple (but satisfying) dessert. Just pour still-warm espresso (or double-strength drip coffee brewed with a inch of connamon or cardamom) over a few mini scoops of vanilla ice cream. Dress it up with chocolate shavings, and you’ve got a perfect dessert.
Cafe au Lait Pots de Creme: A pot de creme is an extra-thick and luxuriously creamy pudding. Even a small serving satisfies the craving for something sweet and decadent, perfect to portion into shop glasses or espresso cups for parties. Takes just minutes to prep, 20-25 minutes in the oven, and then chill before serving.
Easy Coffee Pudding: This recipe features 7 pantry ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to prepare. The warmth of cinnamon combines beautifully with the boldness of the espresso powder for a pudding you’ll love. When you see how easy (and cheap) it is to make your own pudding at home, you probably won’t ever make it from a mix ever again! Plus, you can customize your own flavor and all you really need is corn starch and milk!
Individual Tiramisus: The perfect dessert for a dinner party, since each guest gets an individual serving in a pretty parfait glass. Inspired by a traditional Italian tiramisu, the bottom layer in this recipe is pound cake dipped in coffee!
Mocha Granita: An excellent dessert option, since this granita can be prepared 3 days ahead. For this icy treat, all you’ll need is fresh-brewed coffee, milk, sugar and a little chocolate syrup. The perfect combination if you want to serve something chocolaty and decadent, but also light and refreshing.
