Thursday 26 March 2009

I may never sleep again



Espresso sorbet (or, more accurately, mokka sorbet). Not for the faint of heart, the low on caffeine tolerance, or the afraid of bitter. Or those who suffer from insomnia. Two photos: the fancy way to serve it, in a very very tall wine glass, and the way I actually like to eat it, in an espresso cup (from whence it came).

11 shots mokka or espresso (I had planned on 12, but I accidentally drank one)
scant 1/2 c. sugar + 1/4 c. agave syrup.
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 -1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp xanthan gum

Make coffee, and while still hot, dissolve the sugars in it. You may want more sugar. I like things pretty bitter. Once the sugar is dissolved, let the coffee cool. Once cool, mix in everything else using either an immersion blender or a blender blender. You'll need one or the xanthan gum won't dissolve. Freeze. I don't have an ice cream mixer. I also didn't have any orange oil left, but I was planning to add a few drops, so do that if you can. Eat.

note: if you have an ice cream maker, you can probably cut down on the xanthan gum a bit.

music that hasn't slept in centuries: Bach, the coffee cantatas.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Expresso sorbet? I need some of that right about now. Yum!

Anonymous said...

oh yum.. coffee sorbet.. drool...

maybe there will be some when i get to edinburgh? but i would never be so cheeky to ask for it :D (i was brow beaten into going.. so expect us) and i'll get the photo to you tomorrow

Anonymous said...

This will be a must in the summer...I'm all for bitter desserts! That, and I didn't know that xanthan gum helped for those of us without ice cream makers.

Jake said...

*sigh* I wish coffee didn't make me so sick; that looks heavenly. Maybe it can be made with decaf? Good, decaf, of course. Also, where the hell does one buy xanthan gum?

Jake said...

'Good' should not have a comma after it. Deepest apologies.

sinead said...

Oh me! Oh my! I love comments! EEEeeee!

Jake: decaf should totally work. The important thing is that it be espresso-strength. As for xanthan gum, I get it in grocery stores in the sections that have gluten-free stuff. You can also use guar gum (same amount). Both are commonly used to add chew to gluten-free baked goods, around which there seems to be an obsession in the U.K.

medici said...

Oh, this was soooo good! And mood-enhancing! It would make a delightful breakfast sorbet, and actually I think that some of this should be kept on hand at all times, lest one be caught out with (gasp) NO caffeine in the house (at least for us addicts) on those rare occasions when the coffee and tea supplies are exhausted.

Anonymous said...

It looks so elegant in that beautiful glass!

Jake said...

So, I didn't feel like paying attention in my microbiology class this morning, so instead I was looking through the archives of your blog, and it's making me incredibly hungry. Plus side is I have an extremely nummy lunch (which I may blog about). Minus side is I forgot my fork. Blast! One of the grad students here keeps a fork in his desk, but he's not in the lab right now for me to ask him if I can borrow it. I could just go and take it, I suppose, but if he comes looking for it (as he may, it being lunch time) then he'll discover that I borrowed it without asking. And that I actually frequently borrow it without asking when he's on vacation. He always says yes when I *do* ask, but still... Going up to his office/emailing him seems like way too much effort, but on the other hand I don't want to get a plastic fork from the caf either. Right now I'm eating sesame snaps while I decide my next move.

Just thought I'd give you an update on my current food situation.

sinead said...

Thanks Jake. I love the update! My advice: keep a spork in your backpack. I have a green one. And some chopsticks. There's no food situation that a spork and some chopsticks can't get you out of. Hope you eventually found (or borrowed) some implements to eat your nummy lunch!

Steffi said...

espresso+sorbet=awesome. so is your blog!

sinead said...

thanks! glad you like the blog. btw, the sorbet is the easiest thing in the world to make, and far too addictive. it's already pretty much gone!