Pumpkin Spice Latte

I LUVVVVVV me some Starbucks. Alas, the nearest one is 2 hours away. Yes I live in the middle of nowhere. Recently I heard their Pumpkin Spice Latte had been released for fall (I heart fall!) and I've been stuck in my country town reading about everyone in the city enjoying the yummy, sweet, goodness of the latte. This makes a pregnant lady very jealous!

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and oh man, this is SO necessity! I sent my husband off to the store for canned pumpkin pureé (yes I know I could roast my own pumpkin, but they're not in the stores yet, and besides, I want my latte NOW, not an hour from now!) and some other supplies and I set out to recreate the yummiest fall coffee concoction since pumpkin pie itself. I used my Tassimo to make this but you can certainly use regular drip coffee (made strong) or your own specialty coffee maker (espresso machine).

Even if you pass a Starbucks everyday you should give this a try, maybe on a wet Sunday morning when leaving your house just ain't gonna happen.... like today!

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Pumpkin Spice Latte

1 c half and half (I like to live dangerously, you can use milk if you want)
2 tbsp pumpkin pureé
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 Starbucks Espressso T-Disc or 1/4 c really strong coffee

Instructions:

1. Place the half and half, pumpkin, sugar and spices in a small pot and heat over medium heat until the milk is hot and the pureé has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
2. Pour the cream mixture into a blender (or you can use an immersion blender in the pot) and blend for a minute or two*.
3. In the meantime brew your favourite espresso or coffee.
4. Pour your espresso in to a large mug and add the hot, blended pumpkin/cream mixture.
5. Top with whipped cream and some pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or freshly ground nutmeg.


* Note: blending isn't 100% necessary, but you may find the cream mixture a little gritty if you don't as pumpkin pureé is fairly fibrous. The blending smooths everything out.

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Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

My good friend Michelle sent me an email the other day. That's not out of the ordinary at all, except for the fact that it was a recipe. Michelle is not really known for emailing out recipes (pictures of her fun nights out, and more recently of her expanding belly yes, but not recipes). So immediately I knew it HAD to be good!

OH. MY. GOD. The name alone had me drooling. Chocolate. Coffee. Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur. Hello? Even my husband, who hates cake of any kind, was intrigued. He asked me to make these when he was on night shift this weekend so he could take them into work to help keep the guys awake. He's so funny.

These cupcakes taste like your favourite coffee blend. They taste like a chilly winter's night by the fire. They taste like... heaven. Give'em a try and tell me I'm lying!


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Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

cupcakes:

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c buttermilk, room temperature
3 heaping tbsp cocoa
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup coffee, hot
1 c sugar
1 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 c icing sugar
1/4 c Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp coffee, cooled

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolves the baking soda in the buttermilk.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter slowly over low heat and add the cocoa. Mix until combined and smooth.
3. Remove from the heat and add the coffee to the cocoa/butter mixture and stir.
4. In a seperate bowl sift together the flour, sugar and salt.
5. While slowly mixing add the cocoa mixture and egg to the flour mixture.
6. Next add the buttermilk and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth.
7. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched.
8. Cream together the butter and icing sugar for the frosting.
9. Add the Bailey's, vanilla, milk and coffee and whip until combined and smooth.
10. Frost tops of cooled cupcakes and decorate with chocolate shavings, chocolate covered espresso beans or enjoy all on their own!

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Look at how moist these babies are!

enjoy,

Minty Mocha Latte

I love a little "Christmas cheer" in my mug around the holidays. The warmth spreading through me helps take the edge off, and warms me up as I'm perpetually cold from November until May! A friend of mine, the always delightful Jennifer Pershick, or as she's more commonly known on twitter, @Artsy_Jenny, has been raving for at least a week now about Bailey's new Mint flavoured liqueur, so when I stopped in at the LCBO today I grabbed a wee bottle to see what all the fuss was about. At the cash they had a bucket filled with bottles of a new flavour of Kalhua... Mocha! I had to have one of those too.

I raced home and started mixing and pouring and stirring and brewing. What I am now sipping on is divine! I had to share. I'm kind of guessing at the quantities of each element cause I don't measure booze... ever... I just pour until something inside says "that's probably enough". :)

Minty Mocha Latte

1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. brewed coffee, your fave will do
2 tbsp hot chocolate powder, I use Tim Horton's cause I love it!
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 oz. Mocha Kahlua
1 oz Mint Chocolate Bailey's
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Syrup

Instructions:

1. Brew your coffee to your desired strength.
2. Scald the milk in a pan over medium heat and add the vanilla and hot chocolate powder.
3. Pour the liqueurs into a mug and add the hot chocolate mixture and coffee.
4. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
5. Sit down, put your feet up, admire the lights on your Christmas tree and enjoy!