Espress-o Yourself!

            When I think about espresso, many things come to mind.  Namely, the way I got myself through both undergrad and graduate school.  I also have a great deal of nostalgia for chocolate covered espresso beans, as I consider them to be a primary way Chris earned his way into my heart.  He will likely be embarrassed that I mention this, but he would frequently bring them to me while I was studying at the Hewitt in college.  He probably quickly realized that I wouldn’t shoo him away until they were gone, and they thus provided him quite a bit of time to make small talk with me, convince me to go on more dates with him, etc.

            So, when I came across this quick and easy recipe for Espresso Cream Crunch, I thought it would be an excellent way to repay Chris for the countless number of beans he brought me, and of course be an excellent post-football practice treat.  This recipe was found in Martha Stuart’s Dinner at Home cookbook.  I mean, if Martha can’t help me treat my husband, who can?

            The recipe instructs you to use a chilled bowl, and I would highly recommend you take these instructions more seriously than I did!  In fact, I ended up “chilling” the mixture in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.  Other than that small hiccup, and my grocery store not carrying the instant espresso powder (so I used a flavored instant coffee powder), the recipe is very easy and was a HUGE hit with Chris.  It even brought him back to a time nearly four years ago when flirtation and jitters were bountiful.  You be the judge of whether the jitters were a result of our budding romance or over consumption of espresso! 

Slainte!

Recipe:

1 ¼ Cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

¼ cup chocolate covered espresso beans (about 30)

Preparation:

Whisk together cream, sugar, and espresso powder in a chilled bowl (Martha isn’t messing around here) until soft peaks form.  Refrigerate cream mixture until ready to use.

Lightly crush espresso beans on a cutting board, 1 at a time, with the side of a large knife.  Just before serving, gently fold crushed espresso beans into cream mixture.  Spoon into bowls.  Serves 4.

Enjoy!