These cookies caught my attention online. Being a coffee enthusiast, I couldn't resist giving them a try.
To start, make a double espresso, and wait for it to cool down. I used our Signature Blend.
Next, cream together 100g room temperature butter and 100g of icing sugar. Then, add one egg yolk and two tablespoons of cooled down espresso to the sugar/butter cream. It is important so the egg yolk doesn't cook.
Do note that the coffee flavour is not the prominent flavour in this recipe. It is meant to accompany and balance the chocolate. As you whisk all the ingredients together you’ll be imparting lots of air. This is good since there is no baking soda or other rising agent like self-rising flour. Once your mixture is well combined it’s time to add the dry ingredients. Sift in 200 grams of self-raising flour with 40 grams of cocoa powder and teaspoon of vanilla extract.
You will move from a whisk to a spatula for this part as the mixture gets quite thick. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Knead it quickly for about a minute to make sure there are no dry bits of flour and to form it into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for one (1) hour.
Shaping the coffee bean cookies
Remove the dough from the fridge and take off the plastic wrap. Quarter the dough and then roll out a piece into a long, thin log. Take a piece and roll it into a ball in between your palms.
Roll the ball once in an up/down method between your palms to turn the ball into an oval, then use your thumb and forefinger to squish the pointed ends flat. Place on a parchment lined baking tray.
Take a thin knife (I used a fish knife) and cut the cookie slightly less than halfway down. As you press down, the cookie will round out, making it look like a coffee bean. To keep this shape and ensure the cookies turn out perfectly, put the baking tray in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 165°C.
Take the espresso-flavoured cookie dough out of the freezer and put it on a rack in the oven, about 8 inches (20 cm) from the top. Bake at 165°C for 12 minutes using the convection setting. After baking, take the cookies out of the oven and let them sit on the pan on the counter for 5 minutes before touching them.
EQUIPMENT
- Baking Tray
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
INGREDIENTS
- 180 grams plain flour
- 35 grams cocoa powder
- 105 grams room temperature butter
- 90 grams icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp espresso coffee
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a mixing bowl cream together the room temperature butter and the icing sugar using a whisk. Add the egg yolk and room temperature espresso coffee and whisk to combine.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and add to the bowl. Fold everything together with a rubber spatula and pour onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly just to make sure there are no flour pockets and everything is well combined. Shape into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for one hour.
- Remove from the refrigerator and take off the plastic. Divide in half or quarters (depending on your table size) and roll out a log about 2 cm in diameter. Cut pieces out every 1.5 cm. You'll be able to make about 36-40 total cookies.
- Roll a piece into a ball between your palms in a circular motion. Then roll between your palms once in an up down motion to turn the ball into an oval. Use your thumb and forefinger to squash the ends flat, and place the cookies on parchment lined baking tray.
- Use a very thin knife cut the cookie slightly less than halfway down.
- Place the tray into the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 165 Celsius on fan oven.
- Take the cookies tray out of the freezer and place in the oven about 20 cm (8 inches) from the top. Bake for 12 minutes exactly, then remove the tray and place on your counter top. Let rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the tray.