Brewed Awakening

by Cleo Coyle

  Makes 4 servings

  4 tablespoons sweet paprika

  ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt

  ⅓ teaspoon ground white pepper

  4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

  3 tablespoons fresh or dried shallots (do not substitute)

  ⅓ cup butter

  2 cups (16 ounces) champagne

  2½ cups (20 ounces) heavy cream

  1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 teaspoons water (for thickening)

  Step 1—Prep the chicken breasts: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a shallow bowl, blend the paprika, sea salt, and white pepper. One at a time, roll each chicken breast in the mixture.

  Step 2—Poach the chicken: Place the breasts in a Dutch oven or flame-proof casserole dish and add the shallots (do not substitute), butter, and champagne. Cover and poach in the 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. The breasts are done when the chicken meat springs back when pressed. If you have a meat thermometer, internal temperature should be at least 165°F. Remove breasts from the pot and hold in a covered dish to keep warm. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

  Step 3—Create the sauce: Place the Dutch oven, uncovered, on your stovetop and bring the liquid inside to a simmer, over medium heat. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Add the cream and continue simmering and occasionally stirring until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (without running off like water). To hasten this process, create a thickening paste by whisking together 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour this paste into the cream sauce while stirring constantly for the next few minutes. The thickness should now be perfect. Pour the sauce over the warm chicken and serve immediately.

  KFC-Style Fried Chicken

  While sourcing coffee in El Salvador, Matt made a friend who confided that a meal of fast-food fried chicken was always shared before peace talks between rival gangs. The fried chicken of choice came from Pollo Campero, the KFC of the region. When Matt’s divorce turned ugly, he decided to bring the tradition north—with actual KFC chicken. Clare took the bait, along with the challenge of guessing all of the colonel’s famous eleven herbs and spices. While KFC has never divulged its secret fried chicken recipe, many Sherlock chefs have attempted to deduce it. This adapted recipe serves as Clare Cosi’s preferred solution to that particular culinary mystery with the help of the Chicago Tribune, which originally shared the most famous copycat recipe. Clare made several adjustments for the very best flavor (in her opinion, of course).

  Makes 4 servings

  3 to 5 pounds chicken (10 pieces: wings, drumsticks, thighs, breasts; or whole chicken cut up, see directions*)

  1⅓ cups buttermilk

  1 large egg

  1½ teaspoons dried basil

  1½ teaspoons dried oregano

  1½ teaspoons dried thyme

  1 teaspoon black pepper

  1 teaspoon celery salt

  1 teaspoon garlic salt

  1½ teaspoons ground ginger

  1½ teaspoons mustard powder

  1½ teaspoons sweet paprika

  2 teaspoons white pepper

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon Accent seasoning (optional)

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  3 to 5 cups vegetable oil

  Step 1—Prep the chicken: Rinse the chicken pieces thoroughly and pat dry. *If using a whole chicken, cut the bird into 10 pieces: 2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, and 4 breast pieces. (Cut breast in half, then in half again. Do not attempt to fry a whole breast.)

  Step 2—Marinate the chicken: Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a large bowl or plastic container. Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes.

  Step 3—Prep the coating: While the chicken is marinating, combine the herbs, spices, and salt in a bowl, along with the Accent (if using). Because basil, oregano, and thyme leaves are larger than the other powdered ingredients, you will need to pulverize everything together. Pulse them in a food processor, or a nut grinder, or place all your herbs and spices in a plastic bag and pulverize them with a meat hammer or rolling pin. Next measure out the flour and whisk into your pulverized spice mix.

  Step 4—Coat the chicken: When marinating is complete, remove the chicken pieces from the bowl one at a time, shaking off the excess liquid. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour-spice mixture, turning and rolling until thoroughly coated. Place the pieces on a sheet pan and allow them to rest for 30 minutes more at room temperature.

  Step 5—Heat the oil: While chicken is resting, prep the oil for pan-frying. You’ll need to submerge the chicken as much as possible during frying, so choose a deep skillet or sauté pan, one that will allow you to pour the oil about 3 to 4 inches deep. Once poured, preheat the oil to 350°F.

  Step 6—Fry the chicken: When the oil is hot, fry the chicken in small batches of three to five pieces. Don’t crowd the pan. Fry for 15 to 20 minutes, turning about every 3 minutes. Be sure to reheat the oil between batches. Do not place finished fried chicken on parchment paper or paper towels—the pieces will become mushy. Instead, keep the freshly fried chicken crisp by placing the pieces on a rack with a sheet pan beneath to catch any dripping oil. Set the rack inside a low-heat (225°F) oven, where your newly fried pieces will stay warm until all of your chicken is done, and you’re ready to serve it up!

  Coffee and Cream Cake

  This light chiffon cake, kissed with the flavor of sweetened coffee, makes a wonderfully sophisticated dessert. No wonder Clare chose it as her favorite among the cakes she sampled for her wedding day. To see a photo of this finished cake, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download an illustrated guide to this recipe section.

  Makes two 8-inch round layer cakes

  For Step 1

  4 extra-large egg yolks, room temperature (reserve whites for Step 2)

  2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (not instant coffee; see tip*)

  ⅓ cup brewed coffee

  ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  ½ teaspoon kosher salt (if using fine salt, reduce slightly)

  ⅓ cup granulated white sugar

  1½ teaspoons baking powder

  1¼ cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)

  For Step 2

  4 extra-large egg whites

  ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

  6 tablespoons granulated white sugar

  Prep step: First, preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two nonstick cake pans with parchment paper, and coat the paper lightly with nonstick spray. Separate the eggs. You will need both the yolks and whites in this recipe.

  Step 1—One-bowl mixing method: In a large bowl, dissolve the instant espresso powder into the brewed coffee (if the coffee is very hot, wait until it cools before proceeding). Add the egg yolks, oil, vanilla, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Beat well with an electric mixer, at least 3 minutes. Stop mixer and add the sifted cake flour. On a lower speed of your mixer, blend until a smooth batter forms, but do not overmix at this stage. Set bowl aside.

  Step 2—Lighten batter with whipped egg whites: Choose a very clean glass, ceramic, or metal bowl for this next step. (For best results do not use plastic. Grease clings to plastic and this will prevent you from properly whipping the whites.) Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar and beat until you see stiff, glossy peaks. Very gently, fold these glossy, sweetened egg whites into the batter mixture from Step 1. Divide your final chiffon batter between your two cake pans.

  Step 3—Bake: In your well-preheated oven, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops s
pring back when lightly touched. Remove cake pans from oven and cool on wire racks. To remove the cake layers from their pans, wait until completely cool (at least 1 hour). Then cover two plates in plastic wrap. Carefully run a butter knife around the insides of each pan, loosening any areas of the cake that might be sticking. Gently place the plastic-covered plates over the tops of each pan and invert. The cake layers should fall out easily. If not, gently tap the bottom of each pan. Remove the pans and peel off the circles of parchment paper from the cake bottoms.

  To finish: Ice these cooled chiffon cake layers with an amazing Mocha Buttercream (see the next recipe). If you have time and really want to make a show-stopping cake, chill the layers well, then carefully slice the two 8-inch rounds in half, creating 4 thin layers. Between each layer, slather on a filling of “Cream” by making the Stabilized Whipped Cream (recipe on page 340) and ice the entire “Coffee and Cream Cake” with the Mocha Buttercream, as suggested. Garnish the top of the iced cake with chocolate-covered coffee beans or chocolate curls. For instructions on how to create Chocolate Curls, turn to page 341.

  *Cooking tip: Espresso powder (or instant espresso) is not made of ground espresso beans. It is freeze-dried espresso that dissolves quickly in liquids. A good-quality brand to look for is Medaglia d’Oro. You can use any brand of instant espresso in this recipe, but do not substitute instant coffee. It gives a harsher and more sour flavor than instant espresso, which brings a richer, earthier note.

  Mocha Buttercream

  This beautiful buttercream icing makes a fabulous finish to the Coffee and Cream Cake that Clare sampled in preparation for her wedding day. This is an outstanding icing that’s very easy to spread. Fluffy and light, it delivers gentle chocolate flavor, kissed with coffee, of course. (You may want to eat it with a spoon.) It pairs wonderfully with other cakes, as well. Try it with chocolate cake or a plain yellow cake or cupcakes. To see a photo of the finished icing, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download an illustrated guide to this recipe section.

  Makes approximately 2½ cups frosting

  2½ teaspoons instant espresso powder (not instant coffee)

  4 tablespoons hot, freshly brewed coffee

  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  ⅓ cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  3½ cups confectioners’ sugar

  Pinch of salt (to balance sweetness)

  Step 1: In a small bowl, hand-whisk the instant espresso powder into the hot coffee until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and whisk in the cocoa powder. Set aside this coffee-cocoa mixture to cool.

  Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed and add your confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, while scraping down the sides of the bowl. After all of the sugar has been added, move to the next step.

  Step 3: Beat in the cooled coffee-cocoa mixture (from Step 1) until your frosting is beautifully fluffy. Finally, add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. Sample the frosting and adjust to your own taste. After frosting your cakes or cupcakes, try garnishing the tops with chocolate curls or chocolate-covered espresso beans.

  How to Make a More Stable Whipped Cream Filling or Frosting

  Fresh whipped cream is a fluffy delight when used as a frosting or filling for cakes and cupcakes. But a special step is needed to keep it from quickly deflating or becoming watery on your cake. Follow these simple directions, and you’ll see how easy it is to make a more stable whipped cream frosting.

  5 tablespoons granulated sugar

  2½ teaspoons cornstarch

  2¾ cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear vanilla for whiter results)

  Prep step: Place a large bowl and your electric mixer’s beaters into the freezer to chill.

  Step 1—Create the stabilizer: Into a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Pour in ½ cup of the cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking continually until the mixture thickens (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Transfer mixture to another container to cool to room temperature. You can place the mixture in the fridge to accelerate the cooling, but do not allow it to harden.

  Step 2—Whip up frosting: In your large prechilled mixing bowl, whip the remaining 2¼ cups of cream with your electric mixer until frothy and slightly thickened. Slow the mixer and beat in the (room temperature) stabilizing cream from Step 1. Increase the speed to high and whip until firm peaks form.

  Cooking tip: Before frosting any cake, be sure it is completely cooled or the frosting will melt. Store any unused frosting or uneaten cake in the refrigerator.

  How to Make Chocolate Curls

  Chocolate curls make a festive topping for cakes, cupcakes, puddings, and ice cream, as well as coffee drinks, and hot cocoa. You can even combine chocolates for a striking effect, garnishing with a combination of white and dark chocolate curls. To make them, you will need . . .

  1 block chocolate (white or dark)

  Vegetable peeler

  To create chocolate curls, start with a block of room-temperature chocolate. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape down the block and you’ll see curls of chocolate peel away. Chill or even freeze the curls for more sturdiness and longer life.

  The Daisy Fay

  Quite a few bartenders have paid homage to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby by naming their creations after the much-mooned-over character of Daisy Fay Buchanan. The Nostalgia bar at Long Island City’s Gypsy hotel included its own “Daisy Fay” cocktail for good reason. Not only does the Fitzgerald novel take place on Long Island, New York, but the shocking traffic death near the end of the novel, with Daisy at the wheel, occurs less than a mile from the hotel’s Queens location. How appropriate that Clare should order a version of the cocktail, mere minutes before her own shocking discovery in the hotel’s parking lot.

  The Nostalgia’s Gin Daisy Fay

  The Nostalgia’s bartender gives you several options to tailor this beautiful, refreshing cocktail to your own taste. His original inspiration for the drink is not only Gatsby’s iconic Daisy but the pretty pink “Gin Daisy,” an American cocktail that’s been enjoyed, in one form or other, since the 1850s.

  Makes 1 serving

  2 ounces gin

  1 wedge of lemon (for juicing)

  4 ounces pomegranate juice

  Ginger ale (or seltzer or champagne)

  Maraschino cherry

  Thin slice of lemon (for garnish)

  Sprig of mint

  Add a few ice cubes to a glass. Any glass will do, but a tall glass (Highball or Collins) will show off the drink’s bubbles. Pour in the gin, squeeze in the juice from one lemon wedge, blush the gin with the pomegranate juice, and stir. Top with ginger ale (or seltzer or champagne), gently stir again, and garnish with a maraschino cherry, a lemon slice, and a sprig of mint. Add a cocktail straw if you like.

  The Village Blend’s Latest Hit Goobers Cookies

  Inspired by the beloved retro candy of the same name, these cookies feature a satisfying combination of peanuts and chocolate. In fact, they’re so satisfying, you may find (just like Franco and the Village Blend’s happy customers) that they’re hard to stop eating—not unlike the candy after which they’re named. A bit of peanut butter and brown sugar in the dough add to the flavor, and a classic baker’s secret provides a beautifully chewy texture. To see a photo of these delectable cookies, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download an illustrated guide to this recipe section.

  Makes about 40 cookies

  1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

  ½ cup creamy peanut butter*

  ¾ cup granulated white sugar


  1 cup light brown sugar, packed

  1 large egg, room temperature

  1 teaspoon lemon juice (promotes chewy texture)

  1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ¼ teaspoon baking powder

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon into cup and level off)

  ¾ cup finely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

  1 cup mini chocolate chips, semisweet (if using larger chips, chop into small pieces)

  *For best results do not use a natural peanut butter that easily separates.

  Step 1—Make the dough: Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, and white and brown sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and lemon juice and blend into the dough. Measure in your vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Turn mixer to low and blend in flour. Do not overmix, but be sure that all of the flour is completely incorporated. Finally, fold in the finely chopped peanuts and 1 cup mini chocolate chips. Dough will be very soft and sticky, which is why you need to be patient and chill it.

  Step 2—Chill and preheat: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes (so you’ll be able to roll it properly) for the next step. While you’re waiting, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat.