by Cleo Coyle
Step 2—Simmer, stir, repeat. This step must be monitored closely to prevent the coffee from fully boiling or boiling over your pot. When you see the coffee thicken and froth up, remove it from the heat, allowing the simmering coffee to settle back down. Do not stir. Return the pot to the heat and repeat the simmering and cooling process. Repeat this process once more, for a total of three simmers. The reason for this repeated cooking and cooling is to infuse the water fully with the beautiful coffee flavor—but without prolonged boiling, which would impart a burnt taste. For the third and final simmer, you are watching for the coffee froth to rise up to the very top of the pot. Remove the pot from the heat and pour, offering it to guests with a glass of water, which is traditional for service. Before drinking, wait a few moments to allow the grinds to settle in the cup.
A frothy tip: Serving the coffee with a thick foam or froth (köpük) is an important part of the art of Turkish coffee making. You can spoon a bit of froth from the pot into each demitasse as it forms during the infusion process. Or you can pour the coffee very slowly from the pot and lift the pot higher and higher as you pour, which helps to produce more froth. The cup with the most froth is considered the best, but if you are a lover of coffee, every cup of properly made Turkish coffee will smell amazing and taste divine.
A note on buying Turkish coffee: When you buy “Turkish coffee” in a can or a pouch, this is coffee that has been preground extremely fine for the purposes of brewing coffee the Turkish way. You can even purchase Turkish coffee from Turkish roasters. Two of the biggest and oldest brands to look for are Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi and Kurukahveci Nuri Toplar.
BOSNIAN COFFEE
In Bosnia, coffee drinking is a daily tradition, and Bosnian coffee plays an important social and cultural role. Clare discovered this for herself when she rudely attempted to question Eldar at the Queen Catherine Café. In response, she received a polite but firm lesson in Eastern European etiquette. Happily, Eldar invited Clare to join him over a hot džezva of Bosnian coffee, and they quickly became friends.
The coffee-brewing process in Bosnia and Herzegovina is close to that of Turkish coffee, but there are differences. Bosnian coffee is brewed from a number of Bosnian coffee brands—Sabah, Zlatna Džezva, and Saraj Kafa, to name a few. These brands are roasted and ground specifically for this type of preparation.
Unlike Turkish coffee’s triple boiling, Bosnian coffee has only one boil, and the coffee is not sweetened in the pot. Bosnians serve it black with sugar cubes provided in a separate bowl. (Usually cream is offered only to children.) The coffeepot’s shape is similar to the Turkish cezve, but in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Serbia and Croatia, it is known as a džezva.
Method
Step 1—Boil water. Boil water in a saucepan. While the water is reaching its boiling point, warm the empty džezva over another heat source. Remove it and measure in the (very finely ground) Bosnian coffee, about 2 heaping teaspoons per demitasse.
Step 2—Pour and boil again. When the water is at a rolling boil, remove it from the heat source. To prevent the coffee from burning, allow the roiling to calm down before pouring the very hot water over your coffee grinds, filling the pot about halfway (or a little more). Stir the coffee in the džezva, and then immediately transfer the pot back to a heat source that is set to low. Stop stirring and watch carefully. Within a minute or so the coffee will begin to rise, crowned with a thick, foamy head that looks like molten chocolate. Do not allow the coffee to boil over the pot. Remove it quickly from the heat, and allow the risen coffee to sink down again. Finally, add a little more hot water and let the pot rest a minute to allow the grinds to settle before serving. Bosnian coffee is usually enjoyed black. Serve on a tray with sugar cubes in a separate bowl and small spoons for stirring.
RECIPES
Life is a combination of magic and pasta.
—FEDERICO FELLINI
Snow White Chocolate Mocha
This marvelous mocha tastes like a warm, sweet, coffee-infused milkshake. The shop’s coffee truck menu renamed this popular Village Blend drink in honor of the New York Fairy Tale Festival. And if your name’s Snow White, you can rest easy—there are no apples in the ingredient list.
Makes 2 servings
1 cup milk
1⁄2 cup white chocolate, chopped, or white chocolate chips
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 shots (about 12 tablespoons) hot espresso or double-strength coffee*
whipped cream to finish
white chocolate curls for garnish†
Step 1. Combine the milk and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan that’s about one-third full of boiling water. (You are creating a double boiler.) Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted.
Step 2. Whip in the vanilla using a whisk, hand blender, or electric mixer. Continue to whip about a minute until the warm mixture is loosely frothy.
Step 3. Divide the espresso (or strong coffee) between two large mugs. Add the steamed white chocolate milk and stir to blend the flavors. You can top with whipped cream and white chocolate shavings, but it’s just as delicious without.
*Double-strength coffee: For double-strength coffee, simply make a strong version of your regular cup. For instance, in a drip coffeemaker, instead of using 11⁄2 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water, use 3 to 4 tablespoons.
†Chocolate curls: To create chocolate curls, start with a block of room temperature chocolate (white, milk, bittersweet, or dark). Using a vegetable peeler, scrape the block and you’ll see curls of chocolate peel away.
“The Great Pumpkin” Spice Latte
Another fall favorite, this home version of the popular Village Blend latte brings the harvest season to your taste buds. As fans of the beloved Charlie Brown “Peanuts” gang, the Village Blend crew got a kick out of renaming their drink in honor of Charlie’s friend, Linus, a sweet boy who never stopped believing that one day the Great Pumpkin would come. Until he does, however, this tasty pumpkin spice latte will have to do.
Makes 1 serving
2 teaspoons pumpkin purée (canned is fine)
1⁄4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
1⁄4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11⁄2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 shot (3 tablespoons) hot espresso or double-strength coffee†
2⁄3 cup cold milk
cinnamon stick
whipped cream
Step 1. In an 8-ounce mug, combine the pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and sugar. Pour the hot espresso (or double-strength coffee†) into the mug. Stir well to blend the flavors.
Step 2. Froth up the milk using an espresso machine steam wand, or simply warm the milk in a saucepan over very low heat (do not allow the milk to boil or you’ll get a scorched taste), and then froth with a whisk, hand blender, or electric mixer.
Step 3. Using a spoon, hold back the foam in your pitcher or saucepan as you pour the steamed milk into the hot espresso. Add a cinnamon stick and stir to mix the flavors. Top with foamed milk and whipped cream. Finish with a light sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice.
*Homemade pumpkin pie spice: To make 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, mix together 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger, 1⁄8 teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves, and 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
†Double-strength coffee: To make double-strength coffee in an automatic drip coffeemaker, French press, or pour-over cone, double the amount of ground coffee that you would normally use. For example, instead of 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water, use 4 tablespoons and . . . drink with joy!
Clare Cosi’s Cinderella Pumpkin Cake (Dairy-Free)
Clare’s cute little coffee cake may look as humble as Cinderella’s pumpkin, but the moist texture and delicious flavor will make you the belle of any ball where you serve
it. The pumpkin in the cake adds nutrition and fiber, and the batter can be easily stirred together. Bake it small in an 8-inch-square pan or double it for a festive 9-by-13-inch sheet cake. One final note: This cake recipe uses no dairy. To finish it in a dairy-free fashion, simply dust with powdered sugar, or use Dairy-Free Whipped Cream (more on that in the recipe below). If dairy is not a problem for you, then use Clare’s Silky Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, which pairs beautifully not only with this pumpkin cake but with other spice cakes and muffins.
Makes one 8-inch-square pan cut into 16 petite servings or 9 large squares
For one 9-by-13-inch sheet cake, double this recipe
Dry Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1⁄2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt (or 1⁄2 teaspoon Kosher salt)
Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs
1⁄2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin†
*Homemade pumpkin pie spice: To make 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, mix together 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger, 1⁄8 teaspoon allspice or ground cloves, and 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
†A note on pumpkin: Canned pumpkin works well in this recipe, but be sure to use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
Step 1—Prep the oven and pan. First preheat the oven to 325°F. Make a parchment paper sling for your pan by allowing the paper to hang over two edges. Use nonstick cooking spray to lightly coat the paper as well as the pan sides without paper.
Step 2—Mix using the one-bowl method. Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk them together. Make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well, and whisk to blend. Add the oil and blend again. Add the pumpkin puree. Switch to a large spoon or rubber spatula. Gently stir and fold until the dry mixture is completely blended into a smooth batter—but be careful not to overmix the batter or you will develop the gluten in the flour and your cake will be tough instead of tender.
Step 3—Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bang the filled pan on a flat surface to release any bubbles and even out the batter. Bake in your well-preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes; the time will depend on your oven. The cake is done when the center is no longer jiggling and springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with no wet batter clinging to it. Otherwise, return to the oven in 5-minute increments. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then run a butter knife along the sides of the pan that are not papered (to loosen if sticking). Gently lift the cake out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar or try one of the frosting options that follow.
Dairy-free frosting: Clare’s pumpkin cake recipe is dairy-free. If you’d like a dairy-free option for the frosting, try making Dairy-Free Whipped Cream with a well-chilled can of full-fat coconut milk. For instructions, visit CoffeehouseMystery.com, where you can download an illustrated printable PDF of the recipe. Or if dairy is not a problem for you, try . . .
Clare’s Silky Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes enough to cover an 8- or 9-inch square cake
For a 9-by-13-inch sheet cake, double this recipe
4 ounces cream cheese (half of an 8-ounce block)
2 teaspoons whole milk
1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
21⁄4 cups powdered sugar
Place the cream cheese into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla and beat again until blended. Add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated. Add the remaining sugar to finish. If you find the frosting too loose, add more powdered sugar. If you find it too dry, add a tiny bit more milk.
Clare Cosi’s Cappuccino Blondies
After a long day playing Charming at the Central Park Fairy Tale Festival, Prince Matt was desperate for one of these. “They’re like brownies,” he frantically explained, “but flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and you swirl some kind of chocolate-coffee liqueur into them.” Yes, Matt was describing this amazing specialty of the Village Blend coffeehouse, created by his ex-wife and current business partner, Clare Cosi. As the shop’s manager, Clare is always on the lookout for tasty new menu items. As an occasional amateur sleuth, Clare finds a good mystery even harder to resist. As for your own enjoyment of this recipe, here’s a final clue: You don’t have to use alcohol. Clare’s recipe suggests easy substitutions for the rum-based Mexican coffee liqueur known as Kahlúa. (On the other hand, to make your own Kahlúa, see Clare’s recipe in the back of the Coffeehouse Mystery Billionaire Blend.)
Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan of blondies (24 squares)
For the Batter
10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2T) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup white, granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1⁄4 cup Kahlúa (or espresso or strong coffee or cream)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon espresso powder
1⁄2 teaspoon table salt (or finely ground sea salt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
1-3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Chocolate-Coffee Swirl
1⁄3 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark/bittersweet)
1 tablespoon Kahlúa (or coffee, espresso, or cream)
1⁄2 tablespoon butter
Step 1—Prep the oven and pan. First preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing the excess to hang over the two long ends. This allows you to lift your final baked product out of the pan to cool and easily slice into squares.
Step 2—Mix the blondie batter. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and brown and white sugars. Add eggs, Kahlúa, vanilla, cinnamon, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat well until the batter is smooth. Finally blend in the flour, but do not overmix. Batter will be thick, like cake frosting, pour into pan and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Set aside.
Step 3—Make the chocolate-coffee swirl. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Toss chips well with 1 tablespoon Kahlúa (or coffee, espresso, or cream). Chop in a small amount of butter (1⁄2 tablespoon). Stir again. Now zap in a microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Zap again. This method ensures you will not burn the chocolate, which cannot be saved once ruined. You can also melt it all in a double-boiler.
Step 4—Finish and bake. Using a spoon, dollop very small mounds of the warm chocolate-coffee ganache (in polka dot fashion) over the entire top surface of the blondie batter. Using a wooden skewer, chopstick, or knife, swirl these dollops through the batter well, creating your own Jackson Pollock–esque mocha masterpiece. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20–23 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove and allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. The blondies will deflate and ridges will appear. Finished Cappuccino Blondies will not be crunchy or cakelike but moist and chewy like fudge brownies, but with the amazing flavors of a coffeehouse cappuccino. The cooler they become, the easier they will be to handle. When completely cool, slice into squares, and eat with java joy!
Clare Cosi’s Black Forest Brownies
Waldeinsamkeit is the German term for the peaceful and harmonious feeling of being alone in the forest. Once Clare Cosi ventures into the wooded maze of the Central Park Ramble, however, her Waldeinsamkeit more resembles the Black Forest.
The real Black Forest is located in Sout
hwest Germany. While food historians aren’t entirely sure who invented the famous Black Forest Cake, many believe the culinary roots lie in the soaking of the region’s famous sour cherries in Kirschwasser (a cherry brandy) and serving them with whipped cream. Because chocolate is popular in Germany, these flavors were eventually combined into a much beloved torte of chocolate sponge cake, kirsch-soaked cherries, and whipped cream. Clare’s brownies are loosely based on the flavors in that wonderful German cake. May you enjoy them—in or out of the woods.
Makes one 9 × 13-inch pan of brownies (24 squares)
For the Cherries
2 heaping cups fresh or frozen cherries (about 40) or Maraschino cherries
1⁄3 cup kirsch or white rum
2 tablespoons sugar
For the Brownies
Your favorite recipe or boxed mix for a 13 x 9-inch pan.
Step 1—Infuse the cherries. Destem, pit, and roughly chop fresh or frozen cherries. Place in a bowl or small plastic container, toss with sugar, and cover with kirsch (or white rum). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or seal the plastic container and allow to macerate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. When ready to use, drain them very well.
Step 2—Make your brownies. Use your favorite recipe or a mix. Be sure it’s a 13x9-inch pan recipe. Bake them and allow them to completely cool. Do not cut or remove from pan.
