Recipes | Caffeine and You

S’more Nachos

May 22, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

S’more Nacho by Kate Heyhoe, from Macho Nachos

Got the munchies? S’more Macho Nachos are fast treats and don’t require an open flame.

From Macho Nachos (Kindle; Apple/iTunes) by Kate Heyhoe

As a Camp Fire Girl, I‘m not sure which part of s’mores I enjoyed more—the process of browning (or more often, blackening) the marshmallows on skewers over an open flame and then smooshing them between chocolate bars and graham crackers, or actually eating them.

S’mores remain a popular treat for kids and a nostalgic one for adults. Nouveau S’mores have been popping up in fine dining restaurants coast to coast. Some establishments actually let you toast your own marshmallows at table over small pots of red-hot coals. Even The French Laundry (which some consider America’s finest restaurant) serves s’mores, albeit with premium Valrhona chocolate, made-from-scratch marshmallows and homemade whole-wheat honey graham crackers.

Not to be outdone by s’more mania, the Macho Nachos version adopts the motto “the s’more the merrier.” Nutty peanut butter, thinned with a touch of maple syrup, “glues” tiny marshmallows and chocolate to a flour tortilla wedge, edged with a border of crunchy, buttery graham cracker crumbs. Just 3 minutes in a hot oven for golden, pillowy, marshmallow treats. One bite and off you go down memory lane—widened and repaved, but nonetheless, a merry pathway back to younger days. Makes one 8-inch flour tortilla; serves 3 to 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons nutty peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 8-inch flour tortilla
Nonstick spray
20 to 30 mini-marshmallows
2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles or semisweet mini chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 475˚F. with an oven rack in the second position, about 7 inches from the top of the oven.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter and maple syrup.

3. In a separate small microwave-safe bowl, toss together the graham cracker crumbs and the butter. Microwave on high, 10 to 15 seconds or until the butter is melted enough to mash into the crumbs with a fork; the mixture should resemble coarse sand. (Or, melt the butter and mix it into the crumbs.)

4. Slice a flour tortilla into 6 wedges. Arrange the wedges on a baking sheet. Lightly spritz the wedges with nonstick spray. Flip the wedges over. Lightly spritz the other side.

5. Smear a layer of the peanut butter mixture on top of the wedges. Gently press the marshmallows into the peanut butter. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs around the edges of the wedges, as a border. Toss the chocolate sprinkles in between and around the marshmallows.

6. Bake for about 3 minutes, until the marshmallows are toasty and golden on top. The nachos will be very hot, so cool them on the tray 1 or 2 minutes before serving. Serve warm, preferably with tall glasses of cold milk or a hot cuppa joe. Makes one 8-inch flour tortilla; serves 3 to 6

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Biscotti

May 15, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Whoa! These babies are like cappuccinos that crunch. Each bite is rich and dreamy with cinnamon, almonds, coffee, and tiny chocolate chips. Dunk into coffee or nibble on them as you sip. Butter and eggs make them crisp yet tender. They’re good for dunking, and hold their shape nicely. And unlike liquid cappuccino, they don’t spill.

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Biscotti

By Kate Heyhoe

2 teaspoons warm water
1-1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12-3/4 ounces (2-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 ounce (2 tablespoons) coarsely ground coffee beans
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
5 ounces (2/3 cup) fine or regular granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4-1/2 ounces (1 cup) chopped slivered blanched almonds
4 ounces (2/3 cup) mini-chocolate chips (like Nestle semisweet mini), or chopped bittersweet chocolate
Turbinado or demerara sugar as garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheetpan with parchment. Place a second sheetpan under the first to prevent scorching.

2. In a small bowl, microwave the water to warm it if it’s not already warm. Stir in the espresso until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, stir or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground coffee beans.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium until smooth and slightly shiny, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the espresso mixture and scrape down the sides as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well (15 seconds) and scraping the sides after each addition.

5. Set the mixer to low and blend the flour mixture into the eggs, just until there are no more patches of flour. Scrape down the sides.

6. Add the almonds and chocolate chips. Mix on low just until blended and all ingredients are evenly incorporated. The mixture will be thick and stiff, in large clumps – good! That’s what you want.

7. Dump the dough onto a floured surface, and with floured hands, shape into 2 logs, each about 13 inches long. Press down on the top and flatten to 2-inches across.

8. Place the loaves 4 inches apart on the sheetpan. Dampen them with wet hands to add sheen. Press some turbinado or demerara sugar into the top. Bake 30-35 minutes until firm but not too hard. (Rotate the pan halfway through.) The tops should have a slight give when pressed. Set the pan on a cooling rack and let cool completely, so the chocolate doesn’t smear during slicing. You can turn off the oven now and let them cool for an hour or several hours; or reduce the heat to 275 degrees F. and bake the second time as soon as they’re cool enough to cut.

9. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs into 3/8- to 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices evenly on the same sheet pan and parchment; the slices should be standing upright, with some space between them.

10. Make sure the oven is preheated to 275 degrees F. Bake 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Biscotti should be slightly soft in the center when touched, and will crisp up on cooling. Cool on the pan on a rack. Biscotti may be wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months. Makes about 40 biscotti.

Coffee Recipes at Global Gourmet

April 29, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Drink your coffee – and eat it too! My other website, GlobalGourmet.com, spotlights coffee as a flavor ingredient in everything from steak marinades to sweet treats. Check out the recipes here:

Coffee Recipes at Global Gourmet

Crunchy Cocoa Nib, Mandarin and Roasted Beet Salad

April 25, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Crunchy Cocoa Nib, Mandarin and Roasted Beet Salad

By Kate Heyhoe

Cocoa CRUNCH!

For me, crunch is essential in a salad. So I usually toss in some toasted sunflower seeds, croutons, or for special occasions, cocoa nibs (also known as cacao nibs), which add a savory dark-chocolatey bite. Balsamic vinegar and cocoa nibs dance especially well together – a perfect pairing of sweet, tart and bitter.

Essentials and options: Just three main ingredients are essential to this salad: roasted beets, mandarin oranges, and cocoa nibs – plus the dressing. Mandarin oranges are typically marketed these days as Clementines or Cuties. Other good (and optional) salad add-ons: goat cheese or feta crumbles; toasted walnuts or hazelnuts; toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds; chopped Italian parsley or cilantro; and lettuce or other greens, like arugula, spinach or baby greens.

Dressing: The dressing is a basic balsamic vinaigrette laced with cocoa powder and cinnamon. Taste and tweek, then drizzle. Don’t forget to show off how pretty this dish is before mixing and serving.

Roasted Beets: No roasted beets on hand? Make them a day or three in advance: Rinse 3 to 4 large beets, trim off the leaves, wrap each beet separately in foil, and set in a baking dish (I use a glass baking dish, to catch any juices that may leak). Roast at 400 degrees F. (375 degrees if using convection mode), for about an hour, or an hour and 15 minutes if plump. They should be tender when pierced with a knife tip, but a bit under- or over-cooked won’t hurt them. Let them cool in the foil. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can refrigerate them in their foil for several days, and use them as you wish. Be careful: beets stain, so store them in glass or ceramic (not plastic). Handle with gloves, or coat your fingers with oil before handling.

Ingredients

4 to 5 cups cleaned greens (lettuce or other greens)
1 to 2 roasted beets; trimmed and sliced
2 to 4 mandarin oranges, peeled and separated into sections
2 ounces crumbled goat or feta cheese (optional)
1 recipe Cocoa-Balsamic Vinaigrette (below)
2 tablespoons cocoa nibs
Sea salt
Coarse ground pepper

Cocoa-Balsamic Vinaigrette

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (go for gusto)
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1-1/4 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-1/2 teaspoons honey

Assemble the Salad

Layer the greens on a platter or salad plates. On top of the greens, arrange the oranges, beets, and cheese (if using). Be artistic.

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients; stir or whisk thoroughly to blend in the cocoa powder and cinnamon. Drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle on the cocoa nibs, salt, and pepper to taste. Voila! Serve as a main dish with hot and hearty bread, or as a side dish.

Serves 2-4

Chocolate Recipes at Global Gourmet

April 12, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Ready to overdose on chocolate?

My other website, GlobalGourmet.com, has thousands of recipes and how-to’s from the world’s most brilliant chefs and authors. Dive into chocolate recipes for desserts, cookies, truffles, candy, cakes and more here:

All About Chocolate, with Recipes, at GlobalGourmet.com