I have no idea why there are strawberries in this photo… really.
My wife’s newest creation – Oreo Truffle Brownies with Espresso Ganache – comes courtesy of a friend. Rather than retype the instructions, I’m going to paste them directly from the email. There is something fun in the way they’ve been laid out – you can tell the sender was drooling over the thought of her own recipe as she typed it. Bolded letters were added by me though.
Doesn’t this just look delicious, dripping with gooey espresso ganache!?
So, in a 9×13 pan make any brownie (homemade or box) then set it aside to cool. Then, in a bowl, crush by hand (or grind up in a food processor) an entire package of double stuff Oreos. Next, take 4 oz. of cream cheese put in microwave for 10 sec. to soften. Mix it in really well with the Oreo crumbs then spread and press on to the brownies.
Finally you make a ganache, where you bring to a simmer (on medium heat), 1 cup of whipping cream add 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and whisk until blended and smooth. Turn off the heat and add/mix your espresso (1-2 oz) let cool for 5 minutes then while still warm pour evenly over your brownies then let them cool completely before devouring…soooooo fudgy! Yum!
The recipe makes me so excited just to read. My wife replaced the “instant espresso” part (why is it that all recipes try to force bad coffee on you?) with fresh coffee. Two shots (2oz) of our certified organic, Varietal Supremo espresso coffee bean from Camano Island Coffee Roasters.
THIS WAS AMAZING. Yeah, I realize that I keep saying this about the stuff she is making… but I’m not lying. This is a super-rich, tasty dessert that was the perfect followup for dinner last night. One brownie was more than enough and left a delicious lingering taste in my mouth for most of the rest of the evening.
Ok, I have to be honest… not many of the crew here got to enjoy this white chocolate mocha pie. *shhh… don’t tell*
My wife had this waiting for me when I ran home for lunch a couple days ago. I ate lunch, was getting ready to run back to work… then she said “Oh, hey! I have something special for you to try.” That was all that was needed to get me to hang out a few minutes longer!
I gotta say, not only did it look SUPER good… but it tasted amazing! As I was finishing my first piece, I started cleaning up my dish and silverware to start my journey back to work.
Then she stopped me again… (she knows how to keep me around longer!)
“So, I made this with sugar-free white chocolate pudding and fat-free cool whip. I hope it tasted ok?”
Ok? It was delicious! I enjoyed a second piece (funny how that logic worked out for me). Anyhow, enough of the story, here’s the how-to.
Ingredients:
-1 chocolate pie crust (8-inch)
-1 1/4 cups cold milk
-2 tablespoons of double-strength Honduras Dark Roast (from Camano Island Coffee of course)
-2 packages of 4-serving, sugar-free, white chocolate flavor instant pudding
-8 oz. Cool Whip, divided
-2 Pinches of Cinnamon powder (for the top)
Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk and double strength Honduras Dark Roast coffee; add pudding mix and 1/2 (4oz) of the whipped topping. Beat until creamy and mixture becomes thick, about 1 minute. With a spatula, spread mixture in a prepared crust and top with the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just prior to serving, add the cinnamon lightly to the top.
Idea From:CookingWithK.net and modified for GOOD coffee and a couple other things:)
Hope you love this as much as I did (and two others at “The Roaster” – not naming names in case I get in trouble!)
Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Frosting made a great day of work even better!
This recipe was found on Pinterest and comes from roxanashomebaking.com. While the coffee frosting topping doesn’t have the same “visual appeal” as hers did (we didn’t have a squeezy thing like she used, I guarantee you that it tasted much better since we substituted the instant coffee her recipe calls for — for the best coffee in the world — organic, Camano Island Coffee.
The coffee frosting contained our decaf espresso coffee beans ground for espresso. I enjoyed a french press cup of our light roast Guatemala coffee along with it.
Scroll Past the Picture for the Recipe!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
1 3/4 cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (8 grams) baking powder
1/4 cup (20 grams) dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup (160 ml) almond oil
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
Coffee Frosting
3 tbsp (42 grams) soft butter
6 tbsp (168 grams) soft cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp espresso ground Camano Island Coffee ( original recipe calls for instant coffee…. if you’ve not had our coffee before, look below to pick up a pound for free, you’ll be happy you did!)
3 cups (360 grams) powder sugar
Instructions
Chocolate cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12 cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Add the sugar also.
Make a well in the middle and stir in the eggs, corn syrup, milk and oil.
Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Cool completely before frosting them.
Coffee frosting
In a small bowl mix the vanilla extract with the coffee powder.
Add it to a mixing bowl with the butter and the cream cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Scrap the sides of the bowl and slowly add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until all the sugar is incorporated.
Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.
Needless to say… these were REALLY yummy cupcakes. The mixture of dark chocolate cupcakes and coffee frosting was perfect and it went well with fresh coffee, french pressed.
Who is Flakey Jake? We may never know. He is known, however, for these amazing coffee cookies!
We enjoyed a batch of these delicious mocha coffee cookies at the roasting facility yesterday (and some of us, at home). Not only are these cookies great on their own, they’re also great when dipped in a cup of coffee. Personally, I french pressed some Ethiopia Coffee and used these coffee cookies for dipping. It was a delicious, mouth-watering experience. I even ate a second but stopped myself short of a third and held off well for about an hour before giving in — again!
This coffee infographic of coffee statistics was made available by the (unfortunately) now defunct website, coffeemash.com. It doesn’t have a lot of details but the graphic provides a fun way to present a few coffee statistics on our favorite hot beverage.
Coffee storage is easy when you know exactly how to store it for optimal flavor. Unfortunately, many people live with the misconception that the best way to store coffee is in the refrigerator or freezer. While that is kind of true if you’re storing coffee for long periods of time (6 months or more), it’s not the best way to store coffee that is fresh and will be consumed within a couple months.
Coffee’s flavor is defeated by 3 things: Light, Oxygen, and Temperature
When coffee is roasted, it’s roasted with the knowledge that those beans will be ground, added to a coffee maker, and will have near-boiling water poured over them. That is the next – and last – time that your coffee should see a drastic temperature change if you want to enjoy the absolute optimal flavor possible. Constant exposure to light actually “fades” the beans and their flavor “fades” (for lack of a better word) with them too.
Finally, Oxygen is the biggest thing to watch out for if you want to store your coffee. Many people go to the extreme of vacum-packing the coffee with one of those devices that suck the air out while they seal it shut. That works great but if you’re like most people, you want a quick and easy way to keep your coffee fresh. We recommend that you leave the coffee in it’s original package and roll down the top while squeezing out the air. After that, tape down the top. If you’d still like further measures to ensure freshness, a ziplock freezer bag works great!
If you ask us, the best way to store coffee is in a sealed bag or container up in a cupboard that you don’t access very often – but is near your coffee maker. Only open the package to get what you need out of it and immediately seal the package when you’re finished.
The 4 Best Gifts This Holiday Season (and why they matter)
With each Holiday season that approaches, I find it increasingly hard to figure out that perfect gift for the people that mean the most in my life (my wife, my mother, my family…). Professionally, there are many I do business with and I want these people to know how much I appreciate them too. So, this year, I built a list of the things that matter most to me when giving a gift to my loved ones. I thought you might be able to use this list for your gift-giving too.
1. Give Something That’s Good for Them
When someone gives me a gift of scrumptious junk food, my reaction is almost polarizing. On one hand, that chocolate, peppermint bark tastes amazing and I thoroughly enjoy it (typically eating it all on the same day I receive it). On the other hand, I know that with each bite of that sugary delight, I’m putting something in my body that may not be healthy to consume. When I give a gift, I want to make sure that it is both delicious and perfectly healthy for the person that will receive it.
2. Give Something That Actually Works
Of course, with each Holiday, I want to make sure my gift is the best possible quality. When I purchase that special necklace for my wife only to find out it broke a month later because the chain was low quality, I am embarrassed and feel like I failed her. I want my gift to show there is more than a passing thought; I want it to be perfect!
3. Give Something This Is Enjoyable AND Makes a Difference
Often times, members of my family will purchase a ‘donation’ in the name of a family member. I think I’ve given a group of goats to someone at least once and a few cans of worms. The problem is that the gift – although meaningful and necessary – can be easily forgotten. For me, the perfect gift would be a combination of changing the world and something for your loved one to enjoy.
4. Give Something That Will Last Past the Holidays
This may be something many don’t think about. Why should we spend a lot of money up front on that friend or family member and then forget about them through the rest of the year? I’d rather send a gift that continues to give my love throughout the year. Giving a subscription will remind that loved one of how much they mean to you year-round.
At Camano Island Coffee, it’s imperative that your gift is perfect because honestly, it’s important to us too. We hand package the top 1% of the world’s available coffee and ship it JUST after roasting to ensure your loved one is receiving fresh coffee beans that make the best coffee in the world. Our USDA certified organic coffee guarantees healthy coffee that’s also full of antioxidants. With the Coffee Lover’s Club you can also give back because, with every shipment, our company donates a dollar back to the farmers who cultivate our coffee. This helps to create sustainability while breaking the generational bonds of poverty. On top of all of that, a gift of our Coffee Lover’s Club coffee subscription will continue to shower that important person in your life with love long after the Holidays have ended.
I honestly believe our Coffee Lover’s Club will be the best gift your loved one has ever received as it combines all four of the aspects of perfect gifts above into one amazingly great package. This is why I say that our Coffee Lover’s Club is the 4 best gifts this holiday season… all in one package.
We have two options available for Coffee Lover’s Club gift orders:
As the Holidays are upon us and whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any of the other holidays – many of you are probably scrambling to find that perfect gift for your loved one. You want that gift to say, “I’m thinking about you and I want to give you something that shows that thoughtfulness!”
Here’s why a gift of the Top 1% of the world’s coffee is not only thoughtful, but one of the best possible holiday coffee gifts to give during the holiday season…
It’s the BEST tasting coffee your loved one will have ever tasted. Yes, this is a bold claim. We whole-heartedly believe and back it.
It’s the HEALTHIEST coffee you can buy.
Our Coffee Lover’s Club gives a gift BEYOND a one time Holiday coffee gift. In other words, with our Coffee Lover’s Club, you can buy a gift now and have that gift continue on long after the Holidays are over because it is subscription coffee. Your recipient will receive: The Top 1% of coffee, fresh roasted, shipped to their door! You’ll receive special “Member Direct Pricing” that includes Free Shipping as well as piece of mind in knowing that your gift will be well-received.
You’re doing something GREAT for others. As always, our coffee supports a greater cause – helping third-world coffee farmers achieve sustainability through our commitment to ethical coffee. Not only do we commit to paying fair prices for our beans, but our support of Agros International takes it to a completely different level!
A gift of the best, healthy coffee that is lasting due to the coffee club can mean a lot. Ultimately, the gift’s value is in the thoughtfulness behind the reasons you purchased it. How many coffee drinkers do you know? Chances are, quite a few.
So setup a Coffee Lover’s Club order for your loved one – it comes with FREE SHIPPING through December 15th!
The holidays are just around the corner and this year we’re celebrating the 10th Anniversary of our Holiday Gift Shop!
We will be featuring over 40 local artists and vendors and we’ll also be sampling specialty food items, the best coffee in Seattle — Camano Island Coffee Roasters — of course, cocoa and more! Whether you’re shopping for friends, family or co-workers, we have something for everyone on your list! The Holiday Gift Shop will open on Thursday, October 27th at 10:00am!
If you’re looking for that perfect gift to send to friends and family, check out our new holiday gift boxes! Visit our website where you can choose from a variety of gift boxes, ethical coffee, our coffee club, tea, and more!
Our delightful new “Winter Drinks” gift box has something for the whole family! Cuddle up by the fire and enjoy sipping Holiday Blend Coffee, Island Select Dark Hot Chocolate, or soothing English Breakfast Black Tea.
If you’re a chocolate lover, be sure to stop by and taste the new Pirates Fudge! We also will have our famous Shipwreck S’mores, Dark Chocolate Truffles, Choc-O-Pop’s, Karamel Stickz, and Salted Caramel Shells.
We look forward to seeing all of you this year at the Holiday House gift shop! Our hours will be extended Monday-Wednesday from 8am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday from 10am-7pm, and Sunday from 12pm-5pm.
