Christmas is all about warm, full flavoured decadence when it comes to food and drink, and recently, we captured some of our friends sharing their favourite espresso-based seasonal recipes. Using the Linea Mini, Lore Sales, founder of ‘Dates & Avocados’ and Maja Jaworska, Coffee Ambassador for ‘Grey Goose Vodka’ spent an evening with friends to show them how to craft and create their ultimate coffee-infused festive favourites.
La Marzocco Home is happy to share their recipes with you and we hope that you too can bring these espresso infused delights to your friends and family this Christmas season. What are the Christmas holidays for, if not to gather with loved ones to kick back, relax and indulge? Go on… treat yourself!
La Vanille Espresso Martini – Grey Goose La Vanille, espresso, coffee liqueur, fleur de sel; garnish: three coffee beans
Recipe:
– 50ml Grey Goose La Vanille
– 35ml Espresso (recommended Guatemalan coffee)
– 25ml Premium coffee liqueur
– Dash of fleur de sel
Method: measure all ingredients into a shaker, add ice & shake. Strain and serve in a chilled coupette, garnished with three coffee beans.
Hot Chocotini – Grey Goose L’Orange, hot chocolate, espresso, gingerbread syrup
Recipe:
– 35ml Grey Goose L’Orange
– 100ml Milk
– 15g of Dark Chocolate (60-70%)
– 20ml Espresso (recommended Brazilian natural coffee)
– 10ml Monin Gingerbread Syrup
Method: Steam the milk to 60-70C, add chocolate and stir to dissolve. Add the rest of the ingredients to the hot chocolate, stir and pour directly into a pre-heated cup. Serve with two toasted marshmallows.
Baked Pumpkin and Coffee (Vegan and Gluten Free) Doughnuts by ‘Dates & Avocados’
Recipe:
For the Doughnuts: Makes 8 big doughnuts or 15 small ones (or a combination of both sizes))
– 100g (3 3/5 oz) buckwheat flour
– 80g (3 oz) coconut sugar (pulverized in a blender or food processor)
– 50g (1 4/5 oz) gluten-free oat flour
– 25g (0.9 oz) potato starch
– 2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1/2 tsp baking soda
– 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
– 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
– 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
– 1/4 tsp ginger
– 1/4 tsp cardamom
– 1/8 tsp cloves
– 250g (9 oz) roasted pumpkin purée (*see instructions)
– 120g (1/2 cup) full-fat coconut milk (50% coconut, water)
– 80g (1/4 cup) date syrup
– 3 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted
– 2 shots (25g/2Tbsp) espresso coffee from La Marzocco
For the Frosting:
– 100g (1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp) date syrup
– 60g (1/4 cup) full-fat coconut milk (50% coconut, water)
– 75g (1/3 cup) roasted pumpkin purée
– 2 shots (25g/2 Tbsp) espresso coffee from La Marzocco
– 2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted
Method
1. Start baking your pumpkin (I used a medium size red kuri – also called Hokkaido – squash). This can be done one or two days ahead. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC/160ºC fan) and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Cut the pumpkin in half and bake cut side down for 1 hour until soft.
3. Once it has cooled down, scoop out the flesh removing all the seeds. Mash the flesh using a fork, making sure you get a very smooth pumpkin purée with no lumps. Set aside or refrigerate if using the next day.
4. To make the doughnuts, preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC/170ºC fan) and grease your molds or pans with a small amount of coconut oil. Set aside. If you don’t have a doughnut pan and need to buy one I recommend you purchase silicon molds because they are easier to unmould, clean, and store.
5. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl (sifting the flours first) and mix well using a whisk.
6. In a separate large bowl, add 250g (9 oz) of the roasted pumpkin purée, the coconut milk, date syrup, espresso coffee, and coconut oil and whisk vigorously until creamy and well combined. You can also use a blender if your pumpkin purée is not very smooth.
7. Continue gently folding the dry ingredients into the wet, using a spatula, until just combined.
8. Pipe the batter evenly into each doughnut cavity using a big pastry bag (cutting off the end). You can also spoon the batter into the molds although I find it very messy. Fill each mold just three-quarters full so that the doughnuts have room to rise.
9. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 minutes for the mini doughnuts and 15 minutes for the larger ones.
10. Allow the molds/pans to cool for about 10 minutes.
11. Flip the molds over a plate and pop out the doughnuts (be careful because they are very light and fluffy!) then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
12. To prepare the coffee caramel frosting blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until creamy.
13. Store in the fridge to set a bit until the desired consistency is reached.
14. Once the doughnuts are completely cool, gently dip each one into the coffee caramel cream.
15. Enjoy with a cup of coffee for extra yumminess!
*STORAGE: Although they are better the day of or day after baking, the frosted doughnuts can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, without the frosting, they will keep, well covered at room temperature, for up to 4 days.
*Note: I recommend making the frosting the day or night before so that it can set in the fridge.
For more information on ‘Dates & Avocados’, head over to www.datesandavocados.com
For more information on Grey Goose, head over to www.greygoose.com/en-gb/