Recipes & Tips From The Village Blend

Visit Cleo Coyle’s virtual Village Blend at www.CoffeehouseMystery.com

for even more recipes including:

* Clare’s Brooklyn Blackout Cake (for Mike)

* Chocolate-Glazed Hazelnut Bars

* Chocolate-Dipped Cinnamon Sticks

* Cappuccino Kisses

* Chocolate-Chip Cobbler

* Mocha-Glazed Rum Macaroons

* Gianduia Brownies and Chocolate-Hazelnut Fudge

* Tiramisu Bars (based on Canada’s Nanaimo Bars)

* Triple-Chocolate Budini

* Quick Chocolate Crostada

* and many others . . .

Recipes

Believe me, there’s no metaphysics on earth like chocolates.

—FERNANDO PESSOA, POET, WRITER, PHILOSOPHER


Aphrodisiac Brownies

With Alicia’s Mocha Magic off the market, Clare Cosi developed this recipe for her coffeehouse customers. As usual, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn was her first taste tester. “These should hit the spot,” she told him. “Possibly more than one.” The reason? Three of Clare’s ingredients have long been considered aphrodisiacs . . .

Chocolate, of course, is the classic Cupid consumable. The Aztecs were probably the first to make the connection between amorous feelings and the cocoa bean. The emperor Montezuma was said to have fueled his romantic trysts by ingesting large amounts of the bean.

Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that is also considered a perk in the department of amorous desires. Historically, when coffee was first introduced to the Turkish culture, husbands were expected to keep their wives well supplied. If the husband could not provide daily coffee for his wife, it was a legitimate cause for her to divorce him. Even if you don’t care for coffee, don’t skip this ingredient. It enhances and deepens the chocolate flavor in the brownies.

Cinnamon is a fragrant and stimulating spice. The Romans believed cinnamon was an aphrodisiac. Cleopatra famously used it to arouse her many lovers. In these brownies, the cinnamon works hand in hand with the brown sugar to layer in depth of flavor that’s subtle yet spicy—sure, it may drive your lover crazy, but as Mike said, “A little bit o’ crazy flavors the stew.”


Makes one 8- or 9-inch square pan of brownies (about 16–20 squares)


12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon espresso powder

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 5 ounces)


Step 1—Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line bottom of an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, extending the paper or foil beyond the pan to make handles (this will allow you to lift the brownies out of the pan while still warm). Lightly coat the paper or foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2—Make the chocolate mixture: Place the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe container and heat in 30-second increments, stirring between each session, until the mixture has melted. (Or warm the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat. Be sure to stir continually to prevent scorching.) After the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, stir in the cinnamon and espresso powder. Set aside.

Step 3—Create batter and bake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk. Whisk in both of the sugars and the salt. Whisk in the chocolate mixture from Step 2. Switching to a spoon or spatula, stir in the flour, baking powder, and chocolate chips. Blend enough for a smooth batter, but do not overmix or you’ll produce gluten in the flour and toughen the brownies. Pour the batter into the pan and bake about 30 minutes. Underbaking is smarter than over-baking. The brownies are done when the top surface has become solid and displays small cracks. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan no more than 5 minutes. Using the parchment paper (or foil) handles that you made in Step 1, carefully lift the entire brownie cake out of the hot pan and allow to finish cooling on a rack. Cut into small or large squares and eat with joy!


Chocolate Zombie Clusters

When Clare Cosi isn’t dreaming of Mike, she’s dreaming up recipes. From the moment Detective Sue Ellen Bass mentioned zombies on Eighth Avenue, Clare couldn’t stop thinking about the challenge of creating a chocolate recipe that was so easy a zombie could make it (no-bake, natch!) and so delicious it would send the eater into a food- bliss trance. Maybe a cross between a cookie and a candy, hmm . . .

For inspiration, she did a little research into real zombies. Historically, the most famous “zombie” case was discovered in Haiti. A man was made into a zombie with a “zombie powder” that contained plants with spines and toxic resins, puffer fish, and ground bones.

Ground bones! she thought. That’s it! Her cookies needed to have a satisfying zombie bones crunch to them. Spying the Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread on her counter next to a container of nuts, she snapped her fingers, pulled out her saucepan, and Chocolate Zombie Clusters were born.


Makes about 3 dozen cookies


2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, toasted (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, or any combination)

¾ cup Nutella

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup whole or low-fat milk

¼ cup cocoa powder


Step 1—Prep: Later in this recipe, you will need to add the following ingredients very quickly, so get them ready now. Measure out the roughly chopped nuts (toast them first for better flavor; see how at the end of this recipe). Set the nuts aside. In a small bowl, mix the Nutella and vanilla and set aside. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. This is where you will drop the hot, no-bake cookie dough.

Step 2—Cook up the batter: Place the butter, sugar, salt, milk, and cocoa powder in a nonstick saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil while frequently stirring to prevent scorching. Boil for 2 minutes. (Be sure to boil for the full 2 minutes to get the best result.)

Step 3—Remove from heat and finish: Remove the pan from the heat. Wait 2 full minutes for the boiling to subside and the mixture to cool off a bit. Stir in the Nutella-vanilla mixture and the chopped nuts.

Step 4—Drop and cool: Drop the cookies by the tablespoon onto the lined baking sheets. As they cool, they’ll harden. To speed up the hardening process, slip the pan into the refrigerator. Then pick one up, take a bite, and become a chocolate zombie!

How to Toast Nuts: Toasting nuts brings incredible flavor out of them, and the process is so easy it’s truly worth that extra step. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in for 8–10 minutes. Stir once or twice to prevent scorching. You’ll know they’re done when your kitchen air become absolutely redolent with the flavor of warm nuts.


Frozen Mexican Choco-Latte

With Gudrun Voss on board as the Village Blend’s new chocolate supplier, Clare added a Mexican Choco-Latte to her coffeehouse menu. The drink proved so popular she tried to imagine some novel variations. The food muse was quiet for a while, and then Clare went to sleep. After she woke up in a cold sweat, she imagined this drink: there’s nothing like a nightmare about a homicidal ice sculpture to inspire the creation of a new recipe.


Makes two 6-ounce servings


½ cup brewed coffee or espresso (for 6 coffee ice cubes)

½ cup low-fat milk

½ cup vanilla ice cream

½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sweetened whipped cream, optional

Chocolate shavings (or sprinkling of cinnamon), for garnish


Method: Fill an ice tray with the coffee and freeze. Place the coffee ice cubes in a blender. Add the milk, ice cream, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Pulse the blender to chop the coffee ice cubes into fine particles. You can either create a very icy drink (like a frozen margarita), or run the blender full speed until the mixture is liquefied and smooth. Pour the coffee mixture into two glasses. To finish with flare, crown each glass with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and top with chocolate shavings and/or a light sprinkling of cinnamon. Drink with joy!


Joy Allegro’s Milk Dud Thumbprint Cookies (for Sergeant Franco)

When Joy found Franco’s leather jacket pockets stuffed with Milk Duds, he finally came clean about flirting with the Milk Duds booth bunny at the Javits Convention Center. Joy didn’t get angry—she got busy, coming up with this recipe for a caramel-stuffed chocolate cookie. One bite of this Milk Dud–inspired treat with its chocolaty nest and chewy, sweet chocolate-caramel center made Franco decide to put chocolate bunnies behind him for good.


Makes about 2 dozen cookies


For cookies:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup white granulated sugar plus ½ cup, for dusting

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg


For caramel filling:

25 caramels (store-bought is fine)

5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (or half-and-half)

5 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips


Step 1—Create batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside. In a second bowl, combine the butter, ¾ cup sugar, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until creamy. Add the egg and continue beating until well mixed. Add dry ingredients and continue beating on low until a smooth batter forms.

Step 2—Chill and prep: Cover the bowl with plastic and chill the dough for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator (no more than 15 minutes). This will make the dough easier to roll. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (Note: Use the parchment paper not to prevent sticking but to ensure bottoms do not burn before cookies are finished baking.)

Step 3—Roll and sugarcoat: Place ½ cup of white granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Using clean fingers, roll the dough into balls of about 1 inch in diameter. Drop the dough balls in the bowl of sugar and lightly coat. Place balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for spreading. Gently press your thumb into each dough ball, making a nice-size indentation. (Take care not to tear the cookie ball or press all the way down to the baking sheet.)

Step 4—Bake and cool: Bake for 15 minutes. Cookies will be fragile until they harden so wait a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. If using parchment paper, simply slide the entire sheet of paper to the rack; otherwise, use a spatula with care.

Step 5—Make caramel filling: As cookies are cooling, melt your caramels, cream (or half-and-half), and chocolate chips in the microwave by heating in 1 minute increments (stirring between each heating session). Or heat the caramels and cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. When the caramels have melted, add the chocolcate chips and stir until smooth. Spoon into each cookie’s thumbprint. (Use two teaspoons—one to scoop up the mixture and the other to scrape it off and into the thumbprint.) If the mixture hardens during this process, simply reheat. Warning: Do not taste any of your cookies until the filling has cooled completely. If the caramel is still very hot, it will burn your mouth! Allow to set, and eat with joy (and Franco)!

Tip: When making cookies, always allow your baking sheets to cool before putting more dough on them. A hot baking sheet will cause any cookie to spread immediately and alter its proper baking time. You can speed up the cooling process by running cool water over the back of your baking sheets. (Dry before continuing to use.)


Clare Cosi’s “Pure Ecstasy” Chocolate-Chip Cookies with Beurre Noisette and Homemade Brown Sugar

Beurre noisette (brown butter), two kinds of chocolate chips, a bit of espresso powder, and a step where you essentially create your own brown sugar (using molasses), make Clare Cosi’s gourmet version of the chocolate-chip cookie one to die for. When Detective Mike Quinn first tasted them, he told her they nearly qualified as a drug. With toffee-like notes of buttery caramel, this mouthwatering cookie is in a class by itself. (And when Mike consumes them, he makes an extra-long “man-in-ecstasy” noise—sans little blue pill, too. Not bad!)


Makes about 2 dozen cookies


12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned (see end of this recipe)

1¾ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

5 teaspoons molasses (unsulphured, not blackstrap, such as Grandma’s Original)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon espresso powder (to deepen chocolate flavor)

¾ cup good-quality semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup good-quality bittersweet chips (such as Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips)


Step 1—Make brown butter: Create your melted and browned butter (see end of this recipe). Set aside to cool.

Step 2—Mix dry ingredients: In a separate, small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

Step 3—Mix wet ingredients and make dough: Into a large mixing bowl, measure out the granulated sugar. Add the molasses and stir well. (You have just made your own light brown sugar.) Add in the eggs, vanilla, espresso powder, and the brown butter that you made in Step 1. Mix with a whisk or fork until well blended. Switch to a spoon or spatula and stir in your dry ingredients from Step 2. Mix only enough until a smooth dough forms. (Do not overmix or you’ll create gluten in the dough, and your cookies will be tough instead of tender.) Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 4—Chill and roll: Cover the mixing bowl of dough with plastic or foil and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will make the sticky dough easier to handle. (You can also wrap the dough tightly in plastic and chill overnight.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheets, or lightly coat with a nonstick cooking spray. Pinch off pieces of dough and lightly roll into Ping Pong ball–size rounds (about 1½ inches in diameter). Do not overhandle and feel free to use a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop) instead. Set the dough balls on a baking sheet, allowing room for spreading. You can either bake the cookies as dough balls or flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand. The flattened cookies will bake up slightly crisper (and flatter, of course!); the dough balls will bake up softer, chewier, and a bit thicker.

Step 5—Bake: Bake for 9–11 minutes. You’re looking for the raw dough to cook completely but without the bottoms scorching. If you find your cookie bottoms browning too much or even burning, try lining your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets, which not only prevent sticking but help cookies bake more evenly. When cookies come out of the oven, use a spatula to carefully transfer them from the hot pan to a cooling rack. Before baking a new batch of cookies, make sure the pan has cooled off or the cookies may spread too much. These cookies are amazing—eat with joy!

How to Make Brown Butter: Joy Allegro calls it beurre noisette, literally “nut butter,” because of the beautiful walnut color the butter turns when you make it. Here’s how you do it: Simply add the butter to a skillet set over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan as the butter melts. As it cooks, it will start to foam. Continue cooking and watching carefully for a few minutes. What you’re doing is caramelizing the butter’s milk solids. When you see the butter turn a deep golden brown color and notice a delicious nutty, caramel aroma, the butter is ready. Pour the brown butter out of the hot skillet and allow it to cool a bit before adding it to the recipe—you don’t want to cook the egg with hot butter!


Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary and Lemon Butter

An elegant yet easy entrée, Clare Cosi cooked up four of these Rock Cornish hens in about an hour—all the time she had to prepare that promised “home-cooked dinner” for Sergeant Franco, Joy, and Lieutenant Mike Quinn. This quick-roasting method produces a crispy, buttery skin. The lemon infuses the moist meat with tangy brightness while the herbs tickle the tongue. These elegant little birds usually weigh in around 2½ pounds each, so plan on one bird per person for your service. These hens also make a wonderful complement to Clare’s Fettuccine with Italian Mole (Mushroom Wine Sauce), which she prepared for that same special dinner. See the next recipe for instructions on making that dish.


Makes 2 servings


2 Rock Cornish game hens

Sea salt and ground white or freshly ground black pepper

2 medium lemons, quartered

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, softened, for paste, plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for basting

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 3 teaspoons dried)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 3 teaspoons dried)

4 toothpicks (for closing cavity during roasting)


Step 1—Prep hens: Preheat the oven to 450°F. (Tip: Many ovens need extra time to reach this temperature. Don’t trust the preheat beeper. Give your oven a full 30 minutes to properly preheat.) Lightly coat the rack of a roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the giblets from each hen’s cavity, rinse each hen, and pat dry. Salt and pepper the inside cavity. Stuff each game hen with ½ tablespoon of the fresh rosemary, ½ tablespoon of the fresh thyme (if using dried herbs, use ½ teaspoon of each), and 3 lemon quarters. Place the two hens on the rack of the roasting pan.

Step 2—Make butter paste: Place the softened butter in a bowl, and using a fork (or clean fingers) mix in the remaining fresh (or dried) rosemary and thyme until you’ve made a nice herb-butter paste. Slather each of the game hens all over with the butter mixture. Sprinkle each game hen with salt and pepper. To prevent lemons from falling out during roasting, draw together excess skin on either side of the open cavity. Drive toothpicks through the skin to secure (2 toothpicks per bird should do it).

Step 3—Roast the meat: Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Baste the hens with melted butter and return the hens to the oven for another 10 minutes. (Tip: Encase the wing tips in aluminum foil to prevent scorching.) Baste the hens a second time and return to the oven for the final 8 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven, tent foil around the birds to keep them warm, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If you skip this resting period, when you slice into the meat, the juices will run out and the meat will taste dry. Allowing the meat to rest gives the juices a chance to re-collect and the meat to remain moist.


Clare Cosi’s Fettuccine with “Italian Mole” (Mushroom Wine Sauce)

This delicious mushroom wine sauce served over fat fettuccine noodles combines two of the many vibrant cultures that Clare lives among in New York City. Mushroom sauce and pasta may be an idea with culinary roots in Italy, but the spice mix and finish of chocolate are borrowed from a classic Mexican mole. This unsweetened chocolate (also known as “bitter” or “baking” chocolate) isn’t something you taste in the sauce; it’s a subtle secret ingredient that adds a rich, meaty depth of flavor that suggests it was cooking for many hours instead of less than one (about all the time Clare had to prepare dinner for her daughter, Franco, and Mike Quinn).


Makes 6 servings


1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped

A few glugs of olive oil

3 garlic cloves, smashed

¼ cup vegetable stock

½ cup dry red wine

teaspoon allspice

teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon sea salt

teaspoon white pepper

¼ cup brewed coffee

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 pound fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (to garnish)


Step 1—Prepare and cook mushrooms: Gently wash the mushrooms (any variety or combo you like), pat them dry, and chop them. Cover the bottom of a nonstick pan with olive oil and lightly sauté for 3–5 minutes. Transfer cooked mushrooms and any juices to a bowl and set aside.

Step 2—Make sauce and cover: Add more olive oil to the pan and sauté the garlic until soft and translucent. Then return all the mushrooms to the pan, along with any juices. Add the vegetable stock, wine, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the brewed coffee, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes.

Step 3—Uncover and reduce: Uncover the pan and continue cooking for another 6–8 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens a bit.

Step 4—Add butter and chocolate: Stir in the butter. When the butter is melted, sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the sauce and stir. The heat of the sauce will melt the chocolate’s darkness into goodness, allowing it to blend with the many different flavors for the very best result. Toss well with 1 pound of cooked fettuccine. Plate and garnish with freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.


Madame’s European-Style Hot Chocolate

Makes 2 servings


1½ ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped

1 cup milk

Granulated sugar, optional

Whipped cream or crème fraîche (see tip at end of recipe)


Method: Grate all of the chocolate, reserve 2 teaspoons, and divide the rest in half, putting each half in a separate mug. Place a saucepan over medium heat and warm the milk, stirring continuously. Do not let the milk boil or you may get a scorched taste in your hot chocolate. When the milk begins to simmer, remove it from the stove and divide it between the two mugs. Stir the milk and chocolate until the chocolate completely melts. Top with whipped cream and a teaspoon (per mug) of the grated chocolate you reserved at the beginning of the process.

How to Make Crème Fraîche: Crème fraîche is a thick, tangy French sour cream. It’s delicious on top of sweetened berries. Try mixing it with herbs and using it as a potato chip dip or adding a dollop on potato pancakes. (See Esther’s Roasted Garlic and Herb Latkes recipe in the Coffeehouse Mystery Holiday Grind.) Crème fraîche can even add the complexity of tangy brightness to buttercream frosting.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Warm carefully over medium heat—just to the touch, no more. Pour the liquid into a glass jar or bowl, and cover lightly with a clean towel (do not seal). Let stand at room temperature (about 70°F) for 10–24 hours. You’re watching for it to thicken. Stir it well, then seal and refrigerate. (Use within 10 days.)


Madame’s Sablés

Like a French shortbread, this tender, buttery little cookie is very simple to make yet an elegant addition to any coffee or tea tray. Sablé actually translates to “sand,” the name coming from the crumbly texture of the cookie (again, like a shortbread).

The French have many variations (lemon, orange, almond). They dip them in chocolate and sandwich them together with jams. But Clare’s favorite flavor is praline—for very good reason. Praline sablés were the cookies Madame baked for Clare during her pregnancy. No surprise: they’re Joy’s favorite, too.


Makes about 3 dozen cookies


Basic Vanilla Sablés:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg white (for wash)

⅓ cup coarse finishing sugar, such as sparkle, demerara, or turbinado (Sugar in the Raw)


Step 1—Make the dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour and salt, and stir with a spoon or spatula, until the dry ingredients come together into a sticky dough ball—but do not overwork the dough or your cookies will be tough instead of tender.

Step 2—Form logs: To make the dough easier to work with, chill it for 15 minutes. Divide in half and form two 8- to 9-inch logs on separate sheets of wax paper, using the paper to shape and smooth the logs. Wrap tightly and chill in refrigerator until very firm (at least 3 hours or overnight). Logs can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or wrapped a second time in foil and frozen up to 1 month.

Step 3—Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. On a separate sheet of wax paper, lightly brush each log with egg white wash and roll in (or heavily sprinkle with) coarse finishing sugar. Using a knife, cut the chilled dough into ¼- to ½inch slices (your choice). Bake for 15–20 minutes, rotating pan once for even baking. Cookies are finished when edges are light brown but centers are still pale.


PRALINE SABLÉS:

Follow the recipe above, but in Step 1 fold ½ cup Crushed Praline (recipe follows) into the dough before shaping and chilling. When Madame makes the praline version, she also replaces the ⅓ cup coarse finishing sugar (in Step 3) with ½ cup or more crushed praline, pressing lightly to make sure particles stick to the egg-washed dough logs.


Crushed Praline (and Foolproof Almond Brittle!)

Praline is a brittle confection made of almonds (or hazelnuts) and caramelized sugar. A popular ingredient of French pastry chefs, it can be served as candy; ground and used as a flavoring; or even sprinkled over ice cream or on top of tarts, custards, and cakes.


Makes 2 cups


⅓ cup water

¼ teaspoon lemon juice (to prevent caramel from crystallizing)

1¼ cups white granulated sugar

1⅓ cups slivered almonds, toasted (see How to Toast Nuts on page 334)


Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make caramel, combine water, lemon juice, and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan. Place over high heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. After 10 or so minutes of continual boiling and stirring, the mixture will turn light golden. Just as the color deepens to a darker golden, remove pan from heat (if it darkens too much it will burn). Add almonds and stir well. Carefully pour this very hot mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Flatten into an even layer. As it cools, it will harden. (You have just made a delicious almond brittle!) Break into pieces. Place pieces into a resealable plastic bag and crush into a coarse powder with a rolling pin, meat mallet, or bottom of a heavy mug. (Who needs anger management?) For easy cleanup, fill pan with water, add utensils, and boil to melt crusted caramel.


Clare Cosi’s Moist Mocha Cake with Shiny Chocolate Guinness Glaze

“Like a party in my mouth,” said Sergeant Manny Franco upon tasting Clare’s super-moist, chocolate-glazed mocha cake. The cake is wonderfully spongy so it soaks up the rich, chocolate glaze beautifully. As Clare mentioned to Franco, the flavor notes of coffee and malt (from the dark beer) intensify the chocolate. You hardly taste the coffee in the cake or the beer in the glaze; you simply enjoy a deeper, more satisfying chocolate experience.


Makes one 8-inch round, single-layer cake


½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup cake flour (if using all-purpose flour, see note at end of recipe for proper amount)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk, low fat is fine (to make your own, see end of recipe)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup black, brewed (and cooled) coffee

Chocolate Guinness Glaze (recipe follows)


Step 1—Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut out a round of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of an 8-inch round layer-cake or springform pan. Lightly coat the paper and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2—One-bowl mixing method: Place both sugars, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Add in the buttermilk, egg, oil, vanilla, and coffee. Whisk again until the ingredients are well blended (but do not overmix or you’ll create gluten in the flour and your cake will be tough instead of tender). Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Step 3—Bake: Place the cake in the center of the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (with no batter clinging to it). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan, place your serving plate over the top and carefully flip to remove. Peel off the parchment paper. You now have a flat and even top to your cake! To finish, pour the warm Shiny Chocolate Guinness Glaze (recipe follows) all over the cake top, allowing it to drip down the sides and soak into the spongy cake. Let the glaze sit for about 30 minutes to set. Then serve and eat with joy!

Note on Cake Flour: I highly recommend using cake flour for this recipe for the best result. Cake flour is milled finer and lighter than regular all-purpose flour and will give you a more tender cake. If you’ve never bought cake flour before, look for it in boxes (not sacks) in the grocery store aisle where all-purpose flour is sold. If I still haven’t convinced you to use cake flour, and you want to use all-purpose flour for this recipe, then make sure to reduce the amount of flour by ¼ cup.

How to Make a Buttermilk Substitute: Buttermilk adds a wonderfully bright tang to recipes, deepening the complexity of flavor beyond plain milk. To make your own sour milk replacement for buttermilk, simply place 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or white vinegar) into a measuring cup and fill it with milk (whole or low fat) until the liquid reaches the 1-cup line. Allow this mixture sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, and then use it as you would buttermilk in any recipe. (Note: Clare’s Moist Mocha Cake recipe calls for only ½ cup buttermilk.)


Shiny Chocolate Guinness Glaze

Clare Cosi is always on the lookout for things that might make her favorite Irish cop happy. Guinness stout in the glaze of a chocolate cake? Perfect. “When using beer for a recipe,” she warns, “allow it to sit and warm to room temperature. Of course, beer foams when you first pour it. You’ll need to let the foam settle before measuring the beer or simply spoon off the foam and measure the liquid. To keep the extra beer from going to waste, you might want to invite someone who likes beer to join you in your kitchen.” (And, in Clare’s case, it’s no mystery who that someone is going to be.)


Makes about ¾ cup of glaze, enough to cover one 8- or 9-inch round or square cake


¼ cup Guinness stout (measure beer only, not the foam)

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

¼ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (3–4 ounces)


Step 1—Cook glaze: Combine the corn syrup and stout in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in confectioners’ sugar until well dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the grated chocolate until it melts and the glaze appears shiny and smooth.

Step 2—Finish cake: For good pouring consistency, be sure to use the glaze while it’s still warm. To make pouring easier (and give you more control over where the glaze lands), transfer the warm glaze to a container with a spout, such as a glass measuring cup. Pour slowly over the top of your cake, covering the surface completely and allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Tilt the cake plate a bit (if necessary) to help even out the distribution of the glaze. The glaze will set in 15–30 minutes.

Note: You can always double the recipe and serve the extra on the side, pool it on serving plates, or try it as an ice cream topping. (It tastes like hot fudge!) To reheat extra glaze for serving, simply pop it in the microwave or warm it on the stove, and whisk until smooth.


Chocolate Espresso Saucers (Flourless Mocha Almond Cookies)

Why are these flourless cookies called Espresso Saucers? Because these strange and amazing mocha-almond cookies bake up as round and flat as the saucer of a demitasse in which an espresso is traditionally served. Sweet, crispy, chewy, and chocolaty, these treats are an exotic edible—perfect for a murder mystery. They are also made without one bit of flour so their texture is unique. They’ll practically melt in your mouth.


Makes 18–20 large, flat cookies


4 cups confectioners’ sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon espresso powder

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see toasting tip on page 334)


Step 1—Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F. These cookies will stick to your pan so make sure to line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the paper with nonstick spray.

Step 2—Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla to create a batter. Fold in the almonds (be sure to toast first for better flavor).

Step 3—Bake: The cookie batter will expand and flatten quite a bit so keep plenty of room between each mound of batter. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes. You’re looking for the cookie to expand and the surface to firm up and crack. Important: These cookies will break apart easily while still warm. To cool, carefully slide the parchment paper off the hot baking sheet and onto a cooling rack (or use a spatula to carefully transfer one cookie at a time). Once cool, these cookies will harden up nicely.


(No-Bake) Ganache-Dipped Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Made without eggs, this “raw” chocolate-chip cookie dough is not only safe to eat but heaven on your tongue. Dipped in chocolate ganache and rolled in finely chopped nuts, each little ball of dough becomes a tiny ice cream sundae on a toothpick. A fun, retro dessert for a party and an adorable treat for any coffee or tea tray.


Makes about 30 cookies


For Cookie Dough Bites:

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, softened

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brewed coffee

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup (about 6 ounces) mini semisweet chocolate chips

30 toothpicks


For Double Dipping (optional):

1½ cups walnuts, toasted and very finely chopped (see toasting tip on page 334)

¾ cup Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)


Step 1—Make dough: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in the vanilla, salt, coffee, and condensed milk. Add in the flour and chocolate chips, mixing until the dough comes together and is well blended (do not overmix).

Step 2—Chill, roll, and freeze: At this stage, the dough is too sticky to roll. Cover your mixing bowl with foil and chill in the refrigerator 15–30 minutes (or wrap dough in plastic or foil and chill overnight). Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into bite-size balls (about 1 inch in diameter). Set balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper (be sure to line the baking sheet or the dough will stick to the pan). Sink a toothpick into each of the dough balls. (Warning: If serving to young children, do not use toothpicks.) Freeze until firm, 1–2 hours.

Step 3—Double dipping (optional): Place toasted walnuts in a sealed plastic bag and hammer with a rolling pin or large spoon until the nuts are very finely chopped. Or grind the nuts in a blade grinder or food processor. Place them in a shallow bowl and set aside. Make the Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows). Remove cookie dough balls from the freezer. Pick up each dough ball by its toothpick, dip top half of each ball into the chocolate ganache, followed by a dip in the bowl of finely chopped walnuts. Place the double-dipped balls back on your lined baking sheet. When the sheet is full, return it to the freezer for another 20 minutes or until the ganache hardens into a delicious chocolate shell. Store your finished Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Bites in the refrigerator or freezer in a plastic container or sealable plastic bag.


CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Makes about ¾ cup


1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream


Method: Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe container. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stop and stir. Repeat again until the chips are completely melted. Add the cream and stir continually until smooth and shiny. If vigorous stirring does not produce smooth results or if the ganache begins to harden, return the bowl to the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again.

Note: When making large batches, note this ratio for double dipping. For every dozen Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Bites, you’ll need ½ cup of finely chopped and toasted nuts plus ¼ cup of ganache—which can be made with ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons heavy cream.


Chicken Mole with Guinness Stout (for Mike Quinn)

Based on a recipe from Punch, who claimed every mama in Spanish Harlem had a secret combination of ingredients that made the mole her own, so it is with Clare’s version.

The name for mole, the rich Mexican sauce often served with chicken, came from the Aztec word molli meaning “concoction.” Clare’s version, heavily influenced by New York City’s melting pot of cultures, truly lives up to that Aztec etymology. She plumbed her Italian heritage for ingredients like fennel but gave the biggest nod to Mike’s Celtic heritage with the addition of the dark and malty Guinness stout.

Mole is an acquired taste and certainly not for everyone. The key to making this wild range of ingredients work as a whole is to keep the blend balanced. Not too spicy but not too bland, either, and always tempering the bitter with the sweet.


Makes 6 servings


4 chicken breasts (skin on, bone in) or 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken (about 3 cups)

2½ cups Guinness stout

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons canola or corn oil

water

½ pound bacon, chopped

2 large red onions, chopped

2 large yellow onions, chopped

1 Spanish onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, smashed

2 bell peppers, chopped (approximately 1 cup)

½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and veins removed, chopped (for a hotter mole, use 1 jalapeño, or leave it out completely for no heat)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons ground almonds (or 1¼ teaspoons almond extract)

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish, optional


Step 1—Poach the chicken: You can poach the chicken just before making the mole or a day in advance. Place the 4 chicken breasts in a large pot or Dutch oven, skin side up. Ideally, they will sit in a single layer or overlap only a bit. Pour 1½ cups of the Guinness, the salt and pepper, and the oil into the pot and fill the rest of the way with water. The liquid level should be high enough to cover your chicken by 1 full inch. Bring the pot to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Half cover the pot, cooking for about 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and cover the pot fully, leaving the chicken to finish cooking in the hot water for another 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the poaching liquid. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and shred the meat into pieces (discard bones). Set aside the shredded chicken. (If making a day in advance, place in a plastic container and refrigerate.)

Step 2—Cook the bacon and prep the veggies: Take out a separate, large pan, and slowly cook the fat out of the chopped bacon. Do this over low heat, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook only until the fat is rendered; the bacon should not be crispy.

Step 3—Cook the veggies: When the bacon fat is rendered, add the chopped onions, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeño. Cook slowly over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers soft, for 10–15 minutes.

Step 4—Create a spice mix: Pour the remaining cup of Guinness into a mixing bowl and add the chili powder, oregano, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, and ground almonds. Pour this aromatic mixture into the pan with the bacon and vegetables. Stir well to blend. Using a hand immersion blender, chop and blend the ingredients into a smooth sauce. When well blended, add the chocolate, stirring until melted and velvety smooth.

Step 5—Add the chicken and finish: Add the chicken to the sauce and continuing cooking until thick, for 25–30 minutes. Plate the chicken mole and sprinkle sesame seeds, if using, over the finished dish. Serve hot with plenty of warm flour or corn tortillas for dipping in this amazingly flavorful sauce!


Peanut Butter Surprises ( Peanut Butter Cookies with Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Hearts)

Sergeant Franco rivals Elvis in his love of peanut butter. (This Clare knew from the Five-Borough Bake Sale that took place in Roast Mortem.) With her promo bag of chocolate chips from the ICE show, she decided to create this “surprise” treat for him—a sweet and tender peanut butter cookie with the kind of ooey-gooey chocolate heart that grown men swoon for—and the perfect, home- baked thank-you for body-slamming that scumbag Sun God.

Makes 18–20 big, stuffed cookies


1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1¼ cups peanut butter (standard creamy, not sugarless)

1 cup granulated sugar plus ½ cup, for dusting

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate chips (6–8 ounces)

Confectioners’ sugar, optional


Step 1—Make the dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and blend well. Finally, add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix only enough until a soft dough forms.

Step 2—Form and stuff: Pinch off generous pieces of dough and roll into big, golf-ball-sized rounds. Cradle the cookie ball in one hand. Use the thumb of your opposite hand to make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie ball. Fill the hole with about a teaspoon of chocolate chips and then seal the chocolate inside the dough ball. Gently roll the balls in white, granulated sugar for a finished look.

Step 3—Freeze: Place the cookie balls on a wax-paper-covered plate in the freezer for 30 minutes. (The wax paper will prevent the dough from adhering to the plate.) Do not skip this freezing step. This is the key to a successful cookie. If you don’t freeze the cookie dough before baking, the cookie may break while baking and the chocolate may ooze out instead of staying in the center of the cookie.

Step 4—Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place chilled cookie balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, keeping the balls a few inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake 20–30 minutes. The cookies are not done until they flatten out, so be patient and wait for this to happen. The chocolate should stay inside. A nice “cover” for a cookie with oozing chocolate is to gently dust with confectioners’ sugar. (Yes, a bit of sweetness and light once again rescues the day—and the cookie.)

Note: Hot cookies are fragile. Allow them to cool before picking them up or they’ll break on you. And allow your baking sheets to cool before putting more dough on them.


“Fudge Factor” Cupcake Tops

“What I can’t swallow is fudging,” Mike told Clare, “as in fudging statistics, fudging results, fudging the truth. Mathematicians call it a fudge factor—putting an extra calculation into an equation just so it will work out as expected . . . It’s what we law- enforcement types call a scam.”

After Clare finally discovered the “fudge factor” in Alicia’s Mocha Magic powder, she contemplated a “fudge factor” goodie, one that was packed with chocolate flavor but without an excessive amount of butter in the ingredient list.

These fudge brownie–like rounds are the result. They’ll delight your taste buds with the sultry flavor and aroma of chocolate, and when frosted, you’ll think you’re eating the top of an old-fashioned fudge cupcake. But here’s the best part—with Clare’s “fudge factor” in place, these treats use far less butter than similar recipes. Can you find the “fudge factor” in Clare’s ingredient list?


Makes about 20 rounds


4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

¼ cup hot brewed coffee

1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk)

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

Fast Mocha Frosting (recipe follows)


Step 1—Create the mocha paste: In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, chocolate, and coffee. Over low heat, melt everything together into a mocha paste, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. At no time should this liquid boil, or you’ll get a terrible burnt taste to the chocolate. If that happens, discard and begin again. (You can also microwave these ingredients. Use a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst to avoid burning the chocolate.) Set aside to cool.

Step 2—Mix up the dough and chill: Using an electric mixer, beat ricotta cheese and sugars a minute or so. Add in the mocha paste, egg, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. With the mixer set to low, mix in flour, salt, and baking powder. Do not overmix or you’ll produce gluten in the flour, and your rounds will be tough instead of tender. Chill dough at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before baking. You must do this to harden up the dough and also to allow the flavors to develop. (During this hour of chilling, the chocolate will richly penetrate the ricotta cheese).

Step 3—Bake, cool, and frost: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. (Yes, spray the paper! These “cupcake tops” are lower in fat than cookies and cakes with lots of butter and will have a greater tendency to stick. The parchment will also protect the bottom of your rounds from browning too much.) Drop a heaping tablespoon of dough per round onto your the baking sheet and cook for 10–13 minutes. Do not overbake. The finished round will feel spongy to the touch on the outside but with a somewhat firm structure. The inside should be fudgy, moist, and a little underbaked. The rounds will be too soft to pick up when they first come out of the oven. Slide the entire sheet of parchment onto a wire rack and allow rounds to cool before lifting or moving. They will harden as they cool—and they’ll taste deliciously fudgy, filling your mouth as you chew with the sultry flavor and aroma of chocolate. Once cool, frost with Fast Mocha Frosting (see below).

How to Make Fast Mocha Frosting: In a nonstick saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add 4 tablespoons cold brewed coffee, 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. (Do not boil or you may get a scorched taste.) While stirring, add 2–2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until mixture is melted and smooth. (You be the judge on the consistency you prefer. The amount you need may vary depending on the humidity or your altitude.) Remove from heat and work quickly to frost the cooled cupcake tops. The frosting hardens fast. You can always reheat, stir, and add a bit more coffee to soften again.


Phoebe Themis’s Mini Chocolate-Chip Scones

The scone is the UK equivalent of an American biscuit. They’re delicious with tea or coffee, slathered with butter while still warm, or split and served with clotted (or unsweetened whipped) cream and fruit preserves. The scone originated as a Scottish quick bread. According to Madame’s new favorite librarian, “The name came from the original Stone of Destiny, known as Scone, which was the place where Scottish kings were once crowned.” For further reading, Phoebe Themis suggests The Stone of Destiny: Symbol of Nationhood by David Breeze, Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments, and Graeme Munro, Chief Executive, Historic Scotland, published by Historic Scotland, 1997.


Makes 12 scones, of 2 to 2½ inches in diameter


2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (yes, with the self-rising flour!)

½ cup (1 stick) butter, well softened

⅓ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

¾ cup whole milk (for a richer scone, use half-and-half or light cream)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw), for dusting, optional


Step 1—Prepare the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Place a sieve in a bowl and measure the flour and baking powder into it and then lift the sieve and sift the two together into the bowl. Add the (softened) butter. Use your fingers to work the butter completely into the flour until the mixture is mealy and crumbly. Fold in the granulated sugar and chocolate chips.

Step 2—Prepare the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Reserve 4 tablespoons of this mixture and place it in a separate cup. (You’ll use this reserved liquid to coat the scones before baking.) Whisk the vanilla into the remaining egg mixture.

Step 3—Marry the dry and wet: Using a fork, begin to combine the egg mixture with the dry ingredients, a little at a time. A sticky dough will form.

Step 4—Knead gently and stamp out your scones: Form the dough into a ball and move it to a floured surface. If the dough is especially wet or sticky, add a bit more flour until you can work with it. Using floured hands, shape and pat the dough into a very thick circle of about ¾- to 1-inch thick. Stamp out the scones with a round biscuit (or cookie) cutter that’s around 2 inches in diameter. For best result, dip the cutter repeatedly in flour between applications to the sticky dough. Gather up the scraps and repeat until all the dough is used up. Using a pastry brush, coat the top and sides of each scone with the milk-egg mixture that you reserved in Step 2. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar (optional).

Step 5—Bake: Place your pan on the top rack of the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, depending on the size of your scones. To ensure even browning, rotate the pan once during baking. They are done when the tops have turned a golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack. (To reheat scones, wrap loosely in foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.)

Clare’s Brooklyn Blackout Cake (For Mike)

When Mike had to become untraceable for his own safety, Clare went a little crazy. To keep as busy as possible during this blackout period, she decided to make her Blackout Cake.

The Blackout is a rich and decadent chocolate cake with fudge pudding slathered between each of the three layers. The entire cake is then frosted in chocolate and covered in cake crumbs. The original recipe was developed in Brooklyn, New York, during World War II, and is named after the blackout drills performed by the Civilian Defense Corps.

Because the dessert is time-consuming to make and complicated to assemble, Clare found it the perfect distraction from her continual worries about Mike’s safety. Even better, when Mike finally appeared, safe and happy, she had this incredible cake ready to help them celebrate.

The recipe for this cake, along with photo illustrations on how to make it, can be found at my Coffeehouse Mystery Web site. Visit me there at www.CoffeehouseMystery.com to download a free PDF of this recipe. If you have any questions, I also have a message board.

Cook with joy!

—Cleo

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