Has this ever happened to you? You are about to bake a luscious chocolate cake. You have your high-quality chocolate on hand. The last time you checked, sugar and flour were both accounted for. You do one last check of the ingredient list and – GASP – you note that the recipe calls for espresso powder! What should you do?? Fear not my intrepid bakers, espresso powder is easy to make at home.
Directions
Step 1. Set your oven to 175 F (or the lowest setting possible).
Step 2. Collect your coffee grounds from this morning’s coffee. This recipe will work for any method of brew, using your favorite unflavored coffee.
Step 3. Flatten your coffee grounds on the bottom of an unlined baking tray or cookie sheet until a thin layer coats the bottom.
Step 4. Heat the grounds until they seem toasted or “crunchy”. This will take a minimum of an hour. The time depends on how much grounds you are baking and your type of oven. Check the consistency after one hour and leave the grounds in longer if needed. The grounds will seem “toasted” when done. This large batch took 3 hours to bake at 175 degrees F in my oven.
Step 5. Let the grounds cool, and then grind them to a fine consistency using your coffee grinder. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, a blender, food processor or mortar and pestle will work just as well.
Step 6. Make sure to store them in an airtight container to retain freshness.
Step 7. Enjoy! Espresso powder is a wonderful additive to many chocolate-based recipes as it intensifies the chocolate flavor of the final product!
Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 1-3 hours.
Coffee with the Queen 