A Baker's "Secret" Weapon i.e. Ingredient

Welcome to this week's blog post, where I'm sharing a baker's secret for enhancing the flavor of chocolate recipes. If you're already familiar with this trick, consider this a quick and simple refresher. And if you're new to it, get ready to take your chocolate desserts to the next level.

The secret ingredient is coffee. Coffee and cocoa share similar flavors, both being bitter on their own, but when combined, they elevate each other's taste. Many bakers add coffee to their chocolate recipes to intensify the chocolate flavor, and I'm no exception.

In my chocolate cake recipe, I use brewed coffee, but you can easily swap it for instant coffee or espresso powder. Keep in mind that espresso powder is more potent than coffee, so adjust the amount accordingly. A teaspoon of espresso powder or instant coffee is usually enough to accentuate the chocolate flavor, but you can add more if needed.

When mixing the ingredients, add the coffee/espresso powder to the dry ones for a more uniform blend. If using brewed coffee, you can add it at the end of the mixing process. Brewed coffee can replace water in equal quantities, but if you're worried about the flavor being too strong, use half coffee and half water instead. Bake the dessert and taste it to adjust the coffee flavor to your liking next time.

This secret also works well in frosting and ganache recipes. Incorporate the espresso powder with the cocoa powder to avoid a gritty texture. If you're interested in trying a chocolate coffee dessert, I recommend Amelia Rampe's "Fudgy Coffee Brownies" recipe, which you can find at this link: https://www.thekitchn.com/coffee-brownies-recipe-23201045

That's it for this week's blog post. I hope you'll enjoy experimenting with this baker's secret and share your results with us. Happy scratch baking! Aneisha