Friday, June 01, 2012

We Should Cocoa - June 2012

After the exhaustion success of the Small Girl's birthday bash last weekend I'm now taking it upon myself to host a month-long party involving chocolate and coffee and a bunch of people I've never met. Do you want to join in?

Choclette, who I imagine as a kind of chocolate Wikipedia, has asked me to host the June edition of We Should Cocoa, a monthly blogging challenge in which participants work their culinary magic on recipes involving chocolate and a special guest ingredient.


I have a special soft spot (also known as an especially soft middle section) for WSC, not just due to the chocolate factor but also because I've found so many lovely blogs (and recipes) through it.

So, without any further ado, I declare the June challenge open - and the special guest ingredient this month is... COFFEE.

Whether you fancy an iced coffee or a moccachino, a chocolate flecked coffee granita or a spongy coffee-laced steamed pud, this challenge should have something for everyone. Taking part is easy. The full rules of engagement are here - but essentially all you need to do is make something involving coffee and chocolate, write about it on your blog (including a link to this post, and to the blogs of the We Should Cocoa founders, Choclette and Chele). Then, come back and add your post to the linky thing below. Tweet me when you're done (using the tag #weshouldcocoa), if Twitter is your thing, and I'll spread the word.

Mary Mathis' Chocolate Biscuits
Mary might have a fancier name for these but this is what they were called in Mum's recipe book. Mary is an amazing woman who, along with my sister-in-law Jenny, revolutionised the culinary landscape of Atiamuri in the 1980s and 90s. This is just one of her excellent recipes,  reproduced here with her kind permission.
This recipe uses instant coffee - oh the shame of it! - use espresso grounds if you like but be aware they will leave a gritty residue in the biscuit (which is ok, if you like that sort of thing). Use either dark or white chocolate in the middle - this is not the time to be sitting on the fence with that vile milk stuff.

125g soft butter
125g sugar
2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1tsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
20 squares good quality chocolate (plus a few more, if you think  you might get peckish)

Preheat the oven to 170C and line a baking tray.
Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy. Beat in the coffee and vanilla, then sift over the dry ingredients. Mix to a soft dough. Take small spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls.
Place the balls on the prepared tray and press down lightly, then top each one with a square of chocolate. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool for five minutes, then let cool completely on a rack. Makes 18-20.

Have a great weekend, everyone x
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23 comments:

  1. I know it's just me, but I just can't eat coffee. I love to drink it, but something about having it in food just isn't right. However, I was having quite a long chat with the ice cream lady on Weymouth beach at the weekend and she was saying coffee ice cream is HUGE at the moment, esp with younger people. Maybe I just have to banish the coffee creme chocs of my childhood from my mind.

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  2. ooh love chocolate and coffee, I can think of many lovely things I can make for this month's WSC. Yummy looking biccies.

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  3. Oh YES. This is a good one! Nice work Lucy Lou!

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  4. Yes! I was kind of hoping for coffee as the theme because I got knocked out of Coffee Set Match without having had the chance to make the thing I really wanted to make. Will hopefully get mine done early as I want to bring it to a Jubilee party. I adore coffee, and the coffee-centred chocolates are always the first ones I reach for in the box of chocs :)

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  5. This is totally cool. I am so going through my recipes for coffee and chocolate.

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  6. This looks like fun - I might just have to give it a go! And I love the coffee ingredient - chocolate and coffee are a marriage made in heaven! Becks x

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  7. So excited - love coffee and chocolate. Will have to get planning! :)

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  8. I've just made a coffee cake that doesn't have chocolate in the recipe but I did decorate it with maltesers (ie chocolate). Does that count or not? I won't enter it if you don't think it fulfils the criteria!

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  9. I just knew this was going to be a popular choice Lucy. For me it's a real challenge as I don't like coffee BUT CT loves it, so I shall get my thinking cap on.

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  10. I love all things coffee so shouldn't have too much trouble baking something up for this month's challenge, great choice!

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  11. Great combination...I always put a little espresso in my favourite chocolate cake recipe.

    Will be joining in later...

    Have a super weekend.
    Deb

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  12. Mmm... these biscuits are a treat with a nice cup of coffee.
    As a true Italian I absolutely love coffee and these are just my type of biscuits!

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  13. These are 2 of my weakness & I'm really excited to try out few recipes that I've bookmarked ! Wonderful! :)

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  14. Interesting choice for a challenge. I love drinking coffee but I'm much less sure about coffee in cooking. I do like the look of those biscuits, though. I need to think about this one.

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  15. Oh no! I used my best coffee & chocolate idea for last month's!

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  16. I keep missing WSC challenges, but coffee and choc. is such a classic combo, I hope to get my skates on and submit, even with my distractions this month. Do hope your well.

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  17. hey that sounds fun! Might have to dust off the recipe book. Love the look of these biscuits!

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  18. Excellent theme!! The thinking cap is being placed on my head as I type...

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  19. I'll have to get myself organised and contribute a post, who can refuse chocolate and coffee?

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  20. Though I turn my nose up at instant coffee granules, I do think they serve a purpose in the world of baking and making of syrups for flavourings ... as for your cookies? Yes, please! They look just fine to me!

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  21. FOUND YOU! I LOVE coffee and I shall be thinking of something great to make for WSC! Karen

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  22. I am so glad WSC told me to head over here - I've submitted my link and added you to me reader so I can enjoy more!

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  23. Sorry I messed up with my Linky:(

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Hello - thanks for stopping by. If this was real life I'd make you a cup of tea and open the biscuit tin, but in lieu of those things, let's have a chat anyway...