Not Just A Pretty Face

Other things you can do with your coffee machine besides make coffee

Ground or brewed coffee is the perfect ingredient for many desserts and drinks. Here are just a few things you can do with your coffee machine to give your palates a kick-start to the day or night.

Amaretto Mix Up

Amaretto and coffee do wonders together, and are the essential ingredients for this great cocktail. If you want to liven up the evening with a bit of coffee but don’t want to serve the usual café lattes, this is for you.  So crank up your coffee machine and start mixing!

What you need:

  • 1 coffee machine
  • 1 blender or electric hand mixer
  • ½ oz amaretto
  • ½ oz Kahlua
  • 6 oz espresso, chilled
  • 1 scoop chocolate ice cream
  • whipped cream

What to do:

Put whipped cream aside. Blend all other ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately, topped with whipped cream.

Serves 1

Espresso Sorbet

This next dish takes a bit of time and preparation, but it’s worth every bit. It is so refreshing, once you make it you will want to have a scoop after every meal. You don’t actually need your coffee machine for this one, just some good, fresh coffee beans and your grinder.

What you need:

  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 coffee grinder
  • 6 tbs ground espresso beans
  • 4 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 litre boiling water
  • 1 cup whipped cream
  • Cocoa powder
  • Tall glass for serving
  • 1 pan

What to do:

In a bowl, combine the ground coffee and brown sugar. Add boiling water and mix. Let steep until water has cooled, then strain out coffee grounds. Pour the mixture into a shallow pan or dish, and freeze for at least 3 hours.  When the sorbet is nearly frozen but able to be scooped, serve in  tall chilled glasses and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa.

Serves 2

Milkyway Cappuccino

Coffee. Chocolate. Caramel. Those three ingredients say it all really! If you like the milkyway chocolate bar, you’ll love this espresso drink and love your coffee machine even more for allowing you to make it so professionally.

What you need:

  • 1 coffee machine
  • 2 shots espresso
  • 1 shot chocolate syrup
  • 1 shot caramel syrup

What to do:

Mix together in a mug, and fill with steamed milk. Add a bit of foamed milk on top.

Serves 1

Cappuccino Royale

This drink is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a strong cocktail with rum and brandy, and lots of espresso. Serve Cappuccino Royales for everyone, brewed specially with the help of your shiny coffee machine, and you’ll be the hit of your next party.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ cup espresso
  • 2 tbs brandy
  • 2 tbs white rum
  • 2 tbs creme de cacao
  • Sugar

Preparation:

Whisk cream until frothy. Split espresso in two and pour into 2 mugs. Add 1 table spoon of each liqueur into each mug. Top with whipped cream, and add sugar to taste.

Serves 2

Java Chai or Chai latte – both good!

Who doesn’t love chai, especially in winter? Well, now you can have coffee and chai together – perfection. You’ll need prepared chai concentrate for this recipe, and your coffee machine of course – who ever thought coffee and tea could work so well together!!

What you need:

  • 1 coffee machine
  • Chai concentrate of your choice
  • Steamed milk
  • ½ oz almond syrup
  • 1 shot espresso

What to do:

Prepare the chai, as per the instructions, or in the manner you are accustomed to. Add syrup and espresso. Serve in a mug.

Option: sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Mocha Zap

Are you someone who loves coffee and chocolate, but is afraid of over-indulging? No need to decide between chocolate and espresso anymore, this drink has both. You’ll get more than enough caffeine with a Mocha Zap. It’s so good you might find yourself making them daily. Whoever said coffee machines have limited functions obviously hasn’t tried this drink…

What you need:

  • I coffee machine
  • 1 cup coffee, hot – pre-prepared, milk included.
  • 2 shots espresso
  • 1 tbs cocoa powder, made into a paste with a drop of boiling water

What to do:

Add the shots to your coffee, then the cocoa powder paste. Stir and enjoy. Or be zapped to life!

Espresso Martini

A classy cocktail, made with espresso, vodka and Kahlua, this will impress coffee drinking friends for sure. Replace the olives with coffee beans, and you have an espresso martini. Served shaken, not stirred.

What you need:

  • 1 coffee machine
  • 7 oz vodka (Stoli coffee-flavoured vodka is a good choice)
  • ½ oz Kahlua
  • ½ oz espresso
  • 4 coffee beans, for garnish
  • 2 Martini glass

What to do:

In a cocktail shaker, shake vodka with crushed ice for about 30 seconds. Add Kahlua and espresso and give another couple of shakes to combine. Let stand for a minute, to fully chill through. Strain into 2 chilled martini glasses, and add 2 coffee beans to each glass.

Serves 2

Affogato or Drowned Coffee

This is the ultimate coffee indulgence. When you think coffee and dessert, there is no better combination than drowned coffee…read on.

What you need per person:

  • 1 coffee machine
  • 1 small scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream
  • 1 shot of espresso
  • 1 shot of whiskey  – of your choice
  • Whipped cream

What to do:

Put scoops of ice cream in a large coffee cup or mug. Bowls or wine glasses can be used for presentation. Pour in the espresso so it just about fills the coffee cup. Put in your shot of whiskey and top with whipped cream. No need to stir. The ice cream will melt right into the coffee, or drown should we say. Yum.

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