For Christmas, we decided to give coffee a bit of a twist with lots of chocolate and cream. There’s no reason to leave coffee out of the celebrations, anyway. With the rise of specialty coffee shops, this beverage is not just about waking up your sleepy soul, it’s about finding more ways to incorporate it in your life.
Prepare this caffeine-filled dessert tonight or tomorrow and add little something extra to the festivities. Those frappuccinos got nothing on you now.
Barako Coffee Trifle
Ingredients
For trifle
Barako coffee mousse
White chocolate barako mousse
Barako coffee crumbs
Read-to-eat brownies
For barako coffee mousse
1/2 cup barako coffee
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 sheet gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
For white chocolate barako coffee mousse
1/4 cup white chocolate
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 sheet gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp barako coffee, ground
1 tsp lemon zest
For barako coffee crumbs
1/4 sugar
1/4 barako coffee, ground
1/2 cup milk powder
1 1/2 cup melted butter
Preparation
For barako coffee mousse
1. In a pot, mix the barako coffee and sugar together.
2. Place the gelatin sheet in a bowl of water and ice until it softens. Then add the gelatin sheet into the pot. Set aside and let it cool down.
3. Whisk the cream in a mixer until it forms a soft peak.
4. Add the coffee into the cream and start folding using a rubber spatula.
5. Place the mousse in the chiller before assembly.
For white chocolate barako coffee mousse
1. In a pot, mix milk and sugar. Then, pour it into a bowl of white chocolate. Transfer the mixture back into the pot and mix.
2. Place the gelatin sheet in a bowl of water and ice until it softens. Then add the gelatin sheet into the pot. Set aside and let it cool down.
3. Whisk the cream in a mixer until it forms a soft peak.
4. Add the white chocolate mixture into the cream, and start folding using a rubber spatula. Then, add the ground coffee and lemon zest. Continue folding until everything is mixed well.
5. Place the mousse in the chiller before assembly.
For barako coffee crumbs
1. Preheat the over 150°C.
2. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients together until no dry spots remain.
3. Line your baking tray with baking paper. Assemble little pieces (in any shape you prefer) of coffee dough on the tray.
4. Bake for eight minutes or until it gets dry and crumbly.
Assembly
1. Once everything is prepared, you can layer it into any drinking glass.
2. First, pour the coffee mousse into a drinking glass and place in the chiller for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the brownies and pour the white chocolate mousse on top. Let is set for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Lastly, add the coffee crumbs.
Source: Charlie Carbungco for Southern Living, “Three’s A Party,” November 2015.
Photo by Patrick Segovia