TIP: Easy Coffee Dessert (Adults Only)
Years ago, at our first visit to The French Laundry in Napa Valley, we ordered a dessert called Coffee and Donuts.
What we got: coffee mousse served in a coffee cup, topped with real milk foam and served with a side of beignets, deep fried choux paste (think small fritters). It was a delicious and memorable sight gag. Because we gave up deep frying for the New Year, we never got around to recreating the recipe. But recently, we made a simpler version of it, thanks to inspiration from Patrón XO Cafe liqueur, Ciao Bella’s Triple Espresso Gelato and the donut maker at our local farmers market. If you want a smaller dessert, use an espresso cup instead of a coffee cup. And if you want to serve this to kids…depending on their age, they can taste a bit of liqueur. If not, leave it out of their portions. They’ll still get a kick from “coffee and donuts.” |
Scoop coffee ice cream into coffee cup and top with coffee liqueur. Photo courtesy Ciao Bella Gelato. |
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RECIPE: COFFEE & DONUTS, AFTER THOMAS KELLER
Ingredients Per Serving |
A less sweet and syrupy coffee liqueur. Photo courtesy The Patron Spirits Company. |
Preparation
1. SOFTEN ice cream and swirl liqueur through it. If you’re going to add whipped cream, you can level the ice cream in the cup. Otherwise, return the softened ice cream to the freezer and then scoop it into the cup. Place ice cream-filled cup in freezer. (Alternative technique: Pour liqueur into the bottom of the cup, then add ice cream and pour more liqueur over the top.) When ready to serve… 2. TOP with optional whipped cream and serve with a plate of donuts.
PATRON CAFE LIQUEUR |
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Beyond cocktails and adding to a cup of coffee at brunch or after dinner (you can also sip it straight from a liqueur glass, with or without the coffee), the sweetened bitter coffee flavor makes a great topping for a plain dish of ice cream—coffee, coffee chip, chocolate, chocolate chip, vanilla or a ball of three choices. At 70 proof, it is higher in alcohol than most coffee liqueurs. To some people that in of itself is a selling point. We like that the higher proof makes it less sweet and syrupy than other coffee liqueurs. Patrón XO Cafe has a brother, Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, which marries the flavors of chocolate and chocolate. Discover more on the Patron website, which has 40 cocktail recipes using the liqueur.
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