Coffeeopolis

Recipes: Coffee Cake With Cracked Coffee Beans

November 19th, 2006

Source: (SFGate)

The toffee recipe makes more than you’ll need for the cake, but we found that it disappears very quickly if left in plain sight. You’ll get a jolt with this coffeecake — with or without a cup of coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

Toffee Topping

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

{obox} 1/3 cup light corn syrup

8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup espresso beans, lightly cracked (with rolling pin)

1/2 cup roasted, chopped hazelnuts or macadamia nuts

Crumble

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into dice

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

Grease a baking sheet and spatula with vegetable oil.

Espresso toffee: (May be made 1 day ahead.) Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and add syrup. Cook until syrup reaches 250° on a candy thermometer. Add butter but do not stir. Cook until syrup turns a light caramel color. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in salt and baking soda. Pour onto oiled baking sheet and, using the oiled spatula, quickly spread it as thinly as possible. Immediately sprinkle on the coffee beans and nuts. Let cool completely, then break into small shards. Set aside. If storing for more than a few hours, place in an airtight container.

The crumble: Combine flour, sugars and butter with a pastry blender or pulse in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Fold in chocolate chips.

The cake: Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Sift flour with baking powder into a bowl. Add sugar and stir in.

Beat eggs with buttermilk and soda. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to blend. Pour into prepared baking pan, sprinkle with prepared crumble topping. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool 5 minutes, then top with toffee shards, sticking them into cake where possible. Use slightly more than half of the toffee — although you may want to load on as much of it as the cake will hold.

Serves 12 to 16

PER SERVING: 285 calories, 3 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 50 mg cholesterol, 189 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

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