Tag Archives: espresso

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

These decadent cookie sandwiches are for a sophisticated palate.  The dark chocolate espresso cookie is sandwiched with a rich salted caramel ganache for the ultimate dessert.

Rich Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache - a very decadent cookie sandwich!

After this weekend, I could use a cookie or ten.  We spent all day yesterday and Saturday cleaning out our second bedroom.  How is it possible to have so much STUFF in one little room?  Luckily we made really good progress.  Now we just need to sell a few pieces of furniture on Craig’s List and offload some extra packaging material I have from the business.  Making progress!  It seems that the baby might have sensed that we were preparing his room for him, because yesterday afternoon I FINALLY felt a kick for the first time.  In fact, I felt a few, but it took a couple of times for me to realize what was happening.  It really did feel like a “pop” as they say.  Totally incredible.  I told Matt that I thought it was happening and he managed to put his hand on my belly just in time to feel a tiny kick!  That really was an exciting moment to enjoy together.

Rich Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache - a chocolate and coffee lover's cookie!

I made these cookies a few weeks ago but kind of wish they were still around.  They are definitely on the dark side, not a sweet sweet cookie by any means.  I really enjoyed, that, though, for a more sophisticated cookie option.  They would be perfect for an afternoon coffee date or even as a morning pick-me-up.   I won’t tell!

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache
 
These decadent cookie sandwiches are for a sophisticated palate. The dark chocolate espresso cookie is sandwiched with a rich salted caramel ganache for the ultimate dessert.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: ~21 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
Espresso Cookies
  • 215g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 55g (~1/2 cup) good quality dark cocoa
  • 11g (~3 tablespoons) instant espresso powder
  • 1g (~1/8 teaspoon) salt
  • 170g (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 120g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 50g (1 large whole) egg, room temperature
Salted Caramel Ganache:
  • 170g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I used 72%)
  • 60 milliliters (1/4 cup) salted caramel
  • 120 milliliters (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Make Cookies:
  1. Sift flour, cocoa, espresso and salt into a medium bowl; set aside
  2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined
  3. Add egg and mix on medium until well combined
  4. Stop mixer and scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula
  5. Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined, do not overmix; Chill dough for 30 minutes
  6. While dough is chilling, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or slipats
  7. When ready to bake, use a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1 tablespoons each); lightly flatten cookie dough balls with palm of your hand
  8. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes; cookies should appear set
Make Ganache:
  1. Combine chocolate and caramel in a large heat-proof bowl and set aside
  2. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat for several minutes until cream begins to bubble (do NOT bring to full boil)
  3. Pour cream over chocolate and caramel; let set for 5 minutes
  4. Whisk together ganache until there are no lumps
  5. For cookies, chill ganache in refrigerator for 35 minutes or until it has thickened to a spreadable consistency
Notes
Cookies barely adapted from Food and Wine
Source for ganache recipe: Chocolate Moosey
There will be extra ganache. Chill it and roll into balls for truffles or eat it with a spoon, I won’t tell!

 

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites for Audra’s Virtual Shower

Fudgy chocolaty brownie bites topped with an extra special buttercream are a fun mini dessert for any occasion.

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites

Today we are celebrating one of my favorite people!  My friend Audra (The Baker Chick) is having a baby so a few of us got together to throw a virtual party.

I’ve actually been thinking about this for months.  Back in July over an afternoon coffee date, Audra told Jacqueline and I she was pregnant.  We both were so excited and immediately said we wanted to throw her a virtual baby shower.  Now here we are, months later, and it’s almost time for Audra to have her baby boy!

I met Audra at the Foodbuzz Festival a couple of years ago.  Lucky for me, Audra also lives in New York so I get to see her somewhat regularly.  She is one of the friendliest and most genuine people I have met through blogging and I am so happy we are now real-life friends.  It came as no surprise to me when a couple of bloggers actually asked to join in  on the shower when they heard about it from other bloggers.  Everyone loves Audra:-)

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites

I always like mini desserts for parties like showers where people are mingling and may want to sample a few different things.  Plus, Audra is the queen of salted caramel so I knew I had to incorporate it somehow.  I actually had picked up this Espresso Salt when I was in Boston and had been excited to finally use it for something sweet.  This felt like the perfect place.

And don’t forget to see what the other bloggers are sharing for the shower!

Cocktails:

Grapefruit Rosemary and Sage Spritzer from Brandy

Small Bites:

Sausage and Cheese Wonton Cups from Erin

Honey and Tangerine Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini from Liz

Desserts!

Bananas Foster Cupcakes from Meriem

Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Sea Salt from Joanne

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter from Katrina

Chocolate Mousse Mini Cupcakes from Jennifer

Cinnamon Nut Stuffed Persimmons from Gina

Coconut-Cream Meringue Cupcakes from Tracey

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites from Lauren

Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread from Jacqueline

Mini Eggnog Bundt Cakes with Salted Caramel Icing from Kelli

Mini Gingerbread Whoopie Pies from Julie

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream from Rachel

Sugar & Spice Layer Cake from Stephanie

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites
 
Fudgy chocolaty brownie bites topped with an extra special buttercream are a fun mini dessert for any occasion.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 18 brownie bites
Ingredients
For the Fudgy Brownie Bites
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 9 ¾ ounces(~1⅓ cups) sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2⅞ ounces (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream
  • 8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup espresso salted caramel (see below, can substitute regular salted caramel if desired)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Grease or line mini muffin pan
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder and salt; set aside
  4. Melt butter and chocolate in large sauce pan over low to medium heat; stir in sugar; stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth
  5. Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
  6. Use a small ladle or medium cookie dough scoop to evenly distribute batter into muffin tin
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until tops are puffed up slightly and knife comes out clean
  8. Set brownies aside to cool
  9. For the Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream
  10. Beat butter with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light and creamy; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy
  11. Beat in salted caramel until combined
  12. Remove brownies from pan and pipe buttercream onto cooled brownie bites
Notes
Brownie adapted from Baker’s
Brownies can be stored in a covered container at room temperature up to two days or frozen up to one month

Espresso Salted Caramel
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 5⅝ ounces (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) heavy cream
  • 1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) milk, any type
  • 2-3 teaspoons espresso salt (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Whisk the sugar and water in a medium heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil
  2. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, watching closely so it doesn't burn
  3. Quickly whisk in the cream (be careful; it will bubble up) and remove from the heat
  4. Whisk in milk and sea salt and chill in refrigerator until ready to use

 

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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