Komodo Dragon and A French Press

[Excuse the foggy glass. I quickly rinsed out my press before I lost my lighting.]

I know its been quite a while since I’ve posted anything my dear readers, but I’d been so busy with Christmas and taking some time out to read. One of the gifts I received from my parents is a French press! If you’ve never had French pressed coffee, you have never experienced living. The oils that are trapped in the paper liner from say a drip or percolator, are released into the coffee when using a press. Oh dear Lord, the flavor is something miraculously stunning. I’m not even sure I can form words!

The beans I’m using for my French press are Starbucks’ Komodo Dragon. If you are a bold coffee drinker, Komodo Dragon is a blend that you will fall helplessly in love with. Its smooth, earthy, and has a slight acidity. Very well balanced. Also an Asia/Pacific blend, which is without a doubt my favorite coffee region. Now I’d first experienced Komodo Dragon from a drip, so don’t assume its the French press tantalizing my taste buds.

Drip, press, or percolator, Komodo Dragon is a blend that will captivate your heart and soul. If you do purchase a French press, I believe anyone with some sort of sanity should, make sure you do not use the same grinds that you use for your drip or percolator. For a French press, the beans have to be a coarse grind. Any smaller (the size you would use for a drip or percolator) and the beans will clog up the mesh/metal filter in your press.

French presses are very simple to use as well. I’ve heard to use 1 tbsp. for ever 6oz but mine instructed me to use 1 tbsp. for every 4oz. The process of “brewing” coffee from a press takes a bit more time than making coffee from a drip. Although its worth it once that first sip hits your palette with an explosion of flavor. You simply measure the amount of grinds for how many cups you’re going to make. Heat the appropriate amount of water (not boiling) and pour into the press. Stir the grind/water mixture with a plastic spoon (a metal spoon could crack the press).

Gently place the filter/lid on top of the opening of the press. Wait 4 minutes for the coffee to brew. Once 4 minutes have ceased, gently press the handle down with the palm of your hand. Pour into a mug for enjoying with deep pleasure!

Something else for you Starbucks fiends, as of a few days ago, Starbucks has a lot of there Christmas merchandise on sale. Tumblers, candy coated almonds, mugs, etc. You might want to trot down to Starbucks to check it out. Great deals are to be found such as this tumbler:

[My mother called me out of the blue to ask me if I'd like this tumbler. A mere $4.49!]

Have any of you experienced coffee from a French press? Or purchased any of the current sale  items at Starbucks?

<3CoffeeVanilla

White Chocolate Mocha Cookies & Chocolate Chip Cookies

The idea for this recipe came to me while tweeting on Twitter. There was all this talk about ‘Peppermint Mocha Lattes’ and ‘White Chocolate Mocha Lattes.’ And thats when it occurred to me, make it into a cookie! Once again I’ve decided to take some help from the store by using a store bought sugar cookie mix. What can I say, time saved making cookies is time spent at Starbucks. Or at least making another pot of Christmas Blend and being captivated by the heavenly aroma.

White Chocolate Mocha Cookies:

• 1 17.5oz Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix Pouch

• 1 stick butter

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (sifting the cocoa powder makes the process of mixing a million times easier)

• 3 tbsp. Instant espresso (or 1-2 Starbucks VIA sticks)

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3 cups white chocolate chips (I used a Hoffman’s white chocolate bar but I’m not sure how many ounces it was.)

• about 7 candy canes crushed (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (I threw the package away and can not recall the exact temperature, though I’m pretty certain it read 350. Just read the back of your mix to insure that you preheat your oven to the correct cooking time.)

Blend together butter, egg and instant espresso powder with an electric mixer. Next beat in the cocoa powder and sugar cookie mix until the ingredients have been incorporated with each other. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop tablespoon sized balls onto a greased (or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Once cookies have baked and have cooled for 10 minutes, create a double boiler on your stove by placing a smaller pot on top of a larger pot, filling about an inch of water in the larger pot. Pour your white chocolate chips into the smaller pot and turn your burner onto medium-low. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Dip your chocolate cookies into the white chocolate half way. Continue process until all the cookies have been dipped.

If you want to take the extra step of making these cookies into White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies, then you can place about 7 candy canes into a large zip lock bag. Now either take a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer and bash away at the candy canes. (A great therapeutic approach to releasing stress.) Crush the candy canes until they are crushed but are not in the resemblance of saw dust. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes onto the white chocolate before the chocolate sets. Give the cookies about 30 minutes for the chocolate to set before you devour with delight.

This recipe yields 3 dozen cookies.

This next cookie recipe is the recipe that I was briefly speaking about in my last blog post. No it does not involve coffee (but it can of course with an extra step…) but these chocolate chip cookies are so incredible that I had to share. Me not sharing the recipe for these cookies is inevitable. This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies which is great for when baking for a mass quantity. Or if you have a considerably massive sweet tooth.

My Grandmother’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 4 ½ cups flour

• 2 tsp. Baking soda

• ½ tsp. Salt

• 2 cups softened salted butter

• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 3.4oz packages instant vanilla pudding

• 4 eggs

• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Optional ‘garnish’:

• about 4-6 cups dark chocolate chips

• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder (or 1-2 sticks of the coveted Starbucks VIA)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Set these aside. In large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar with an electric mixer on high. Continue to beat for 3-4 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the instant pudding and mix until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat on low until incorporated.

Blend in the flour mixture in batches until all in well incorporated, by now the batter will be very stiff. Stir in the chocolate chips. With a large spoon (Or a cookie scooper!), drop by rounded tablespoons onto an un-greased cookie sheet. (I like to use parchment paper or a silicone mat.)

Bake for 8-12 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet.

Optional ‘garnish’:

As I mentioned previously, you can easily incorporate coffee into this recipe. There really is no such thing as too much coffee. Melt the dark chocolate chips along with the instant espresso powder on a double boiler on medium-low. Stirring constantly. Once chocolate and espresso have melted, dip your chocolate chip cookies half-way into the chocolaty delight. Repeat until all of the cookies have been dipped. Or you can just dip half of the cookies and leave the other half in their original state of magnificent chewy wonder. The choice is yours.