Homemade Kahlua Sauce

This is probably the only time I will ever condone the use of a large amount of instant coffee.

For this recipe it's needed, but usually

♪There's nothing like the real thing, baby.....♪

I love recipes like this. 

Boozy coffee recipes!?!

No, no.... I mean recipes that can double as gifts.

Seeing as how the gift giving season is quickly approaching (*glee*) it's nice to have ideas early on. 

This particular recipe requires at least a month to steep before reaching it's full delicious potential so I'll probably make up a few batches now so I have them on hand for Christmas.

Plus!

Doing that now will reduce some of the stuff to do once the season has hit full force.

I love that... Christmas hitting full force.

It's sweet, it's thick, it has a heady coffee aroma...mmmm. 

Why am I giving it away again?

Or right.... 'cause I'm not much of a drinker and I can only make so many batches of chocolate kahlua cupcakes.

Homemade kahlua sauce is simple to throw together and the ingredients are easy peasy to come by.

Make this for a gift or just for yourself.... because.... because.... because why not?

Homemade Kahlua Sauce

Makes about 3 ½ cups

Slightly Adapted from "Too Many Cooks'' by Emily Franklin

4 cups sugar

1 cup instant coffee granules

2 cups boiling water

3 tbsp vanilla extract

⅔ cup vodka

Directions:

In a heat proof bowl stir together sugar and coffee. Add water and stir until completely dissolved. Let cool. Add vanilla and vodka. Pour into bottles (I used my old Kahlua bottle). Keep for a least a month before enjoying.

Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes

Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes!
Have you notice that they are everywhere lately?

In coffee shops, at weddings, at the mall, in cupcake speciality shops.....
and they're not your kid's birthday party cupcake, either.

They're gourmet.
They're a speciality.
They're filled with ganache and topped with piles of pillowy soft buttercream.
They're expensive!

I'm much to cheap to hop aboard the gourmet cupcake train so I'm all up for trying to recreate some delicious gourmet(ish) cupcakes at home.

These chocolate kahlua cupcakes were my first attempt.

The icing was good and the cupcake was good. They didn't wow me but I would make them again. I think to add that wow factor I'd have to pipe in some ganache or boozy filling.

Oh well, next time (*shrugging my shoulders*)

I think the icing was a little bit soft. It was the perfect consistency in the fridge but when I left an iced cupcake on the counter for a bit the icing started to drip off.
Don't worry though. None was wasted.
I'm not too proud to lick icing off my counter :)

Can't make these cupcakes 'cause you're out of Kahlua? I can fix that for you on Wednesday..... 

Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes

Makes 18 - 20 cupcakes

Adapted from Annie's Eats

For the cupcakes:

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup warm water
¾ cup buttermilk (or use ¾cup milk plus ¾tsp vinegar and allow to sit for 5 mins)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For brushing the cupcakes:
Kahlua liqueur

For the frosting:
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 tbsp. Kahlua liqueur
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
3 - 4 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:
1.To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.   Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a large mixing bowl combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk well to blend.  Add the eggs, warm water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake until the tops spring back when pressed lightly, about 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.  Poke a few holes in the top of each cupcake with the tines of a fork and brush with Kahlua while still warm.  Allow to cool completely.

3. To make the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.  Add in the Kahlua and coffee and beat on medium speed until well blended.  Add in the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Blended Ice Coffee

Good things are about to happen in my kitchen.

Very,very

good things.

It's going to involve this coffee.

And these espresso cubes.

And this Jersey Milk. (If John doesn't eat it first.)

And this french press. And probably some whip cream. 

Because whip cream makes the world go 'round. It also keeps cardiologists employed. 

But don't worry too much about that today. It's Friday, you deserve a big, fat, delicious treat to end your week and start your weekend.

Especially if it comes in the form of coffee and chocolate.

Coffee and Chocolate: God's very special creations put on this earth just for my enjoyment.

I love special creations.

This is my bender with espresso cubes floating about- just thought I'd make that clear.

Let something good happen in your kitchen.

Blended Ice Coffee
Serves 2
(An Original Recipe)


4 oz espresso (Jus Juiced in Revelstoke makes the best espresso!)
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee, warm
1/4 cup whip cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 Jersey Milk squares or chocolate syrup to taste - about 2 tbsp
4 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Make your espresso cubes. Add 4oz of water to the espresso and pour into an ice cube tray. Freeze until solid.
2. Pour coffee into blender. Add Jersey Milk squares or chocolate syrup. The heat from the coffee should melt the chocolate.
3. Add whip cream, brown sugar, espresso cubes and ice cubes.
4. Blend until smooth.