Coffee & dessert
Love cappuccino? A spoonful of this dessert will satisfy your cravings without a trip to a coffee house. It’s rich and creamy like velvet on the tongue, with a definite hit of java. If you want more contrasting tastes and textures, add chocolate chips to the batter. It’s lush either way.
The cups come together quickly, need little time in the oven and can be made ahead, so they’re a great choice if you’re feeding a crowd. Double or triple the recipe, then refrigerate the baked cups, covered, for up to two days. When ready to serve, let them warm slightly and accompany them with crisp cookies. Some say it delivers dessert and after-dinner coffee at the same time.
The cups can develop cracks on the top if overbaked or cooled too quickly. To prevent cracking, I use a little cornstarch to stabilize the batter, a pan of water in the oven to add humidity and a gradual cooldown. But, if cracks occur, don’t fret, just cover them up with the topping.
CAPPUCCINO CUPS
Makes: 6 servings; active time: 40 minutes, total time: 5 hours Make in 4-ounce ovenproof ramekins. Works at any elevation.
For the filling:
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
8 ounces whole-fat cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup plus
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, preferably superfine
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 large egg, room temperature
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips, optional
For the topping:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, shaved
Chocolate covered coffee beans, optional
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place a large ovenproof pan filled with at least an inch of boiling water on the bottom rack, with a second rack in the center position. Generously grease the ramekins with a baking spray that contains flour.
In a small bowl, whisk the whipping cream, espresso powder and vanilla until blended and the espresso powder dissolves; set it aside.
Make the batter: Make sure the cream cheese and egg are at room temperature; this is critical to the filling’s smooth texture. Cut the cream cheese into ½-inch cubes and, using an electric mixer at low-medium speed (don’t go above this speed, you don’t want air bubbles in the filling) or with quick pulses in a food processor, combine it with the sugar and cornstarch. Stop as soon as the mixture is completely smooth and lump-free, don’t overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, mixing only until smooth; continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the whipped cream mixture until blended and then add the chocolate chips, if using.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins, filling them to ½-inch from the top. Tap the ramekins on a counter to release any air bubbles. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake on the middle rack until the edges of the filling are set and puffed but the centers still jiggle slightly when you gently shake them, about 10-17 minutes. Don’t overbake! Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the ramekins in the open oven for about 25 minutes. Remove them to a rack to cool completely — they’ll deflate as they cool — and then refrigerate them, lightly covered for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
Add the chocolate topping: (Do this on the day you’re serving the dessert.) Over a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, use firm pressure to slide a vegetable peeler down the side of a room temperature bar of semisweet chocolate. Let the shavings drop onto the paper and use a spoon or small spatula to carefully pick them up and sprinkle them over the tops of the cold cups. Don’t pick up the shavings with your hands; they’re so fragile, they might break. Top them with a chocolate-covered coffee bean, if using. If not serving immediately, refrigerate the topped cups but let them warm to just above room temperature before serving. Vera Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks (available at Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe). Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.