As we all know, strawberries and cream is as synonymous with British summer time as barbecues, bustling beer gardens and, to some, having anything else for pudding between July and October is tantamount to treason.
But tradition be damned! With an almost endless number of desserts to choose between - and a coffee waiting to be enjoyed as soon as the dessert course is over - we've been wondering:
a) which other summer puddings are as enjoyable as strawberries and cream on a hot day
and
b) which of them go best with coffee?
The answer, of course, is those that have coffee in them! These are a few of our favourite recipes.
Coffee ice cream
The chilly yin to strawberry and cream's cool yang, coffee ice cream is easy to make and perfect when the sun's out. Pair it with your favourite coffee for an incredible hot and cold contrast.
Ingredients
To make one litre of coffee ice cream, you will need:
300ml double cream
175g condensed milk
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp coffee liqueur
To make, simply whisk all the ingredients together until soft peaks form and the mixture becomes caffè-latte-coloured. Then pour into an airtight container, freeze overnight and you're done. Told you it was easy!
Coffee panna cotta
Delicate, smooth and simultaneously sweet and bitter, coffee panna cotta is among the best possible ways to end a meal, especially when there's a hot cup of coffee ready to enjoy with it.
Ingredients
To make six coffee panna cottas, you will need:
250ml strong coffee
60g caster sugar
6 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
300ml milk
300ml thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
30g unsalted butter, chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup
Crushed amaretti biscuits, to serve
To make the coffee jelly layer, place the coffee and 25g sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and stir constantly for two minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Next, soak two gelatine leaves in cold water for five minutes, then squeeze the excess water from the gelatine. Whisk the leaves into the hot coffee mixture and divide among 6 x 180ml ramekins or glasses and chill for one hour or until set.
To make the panna cotta layer, place the milk, 250ml of cream and the vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan. Stir in the instant coffee and the remaining sugar, then place the pan over a medium-low heat and bring to just below the boil.
Meanwhile, soak the remaining gelatine leaves in cold water for five minutes, then squeeze out the excess water. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and whisk in the leaves. Discard the vanilla pod and chill the cream mixture for 30 minutes or until room temperature.
Lightly scratch the surface of each coffee jelly layer with a fork. Strain the cream mixture into a jug, then divide among the ramekins/glasses and chill for four hours or until completely set.
Finally, when ready to serve, make the hot chocolate sauce by placing the chocolate, butter, remaining 50ml of cream, 60ml of water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over a low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for three minutes or until smooth. Finish by stirring through the maple syrup.
Dip the base of each ramekin/glass in boiling water for three seconds to release the panna cotta, then turn out onto serving plates. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and scatter with crushed amaretti. Serve immediately.
Tiramisu
No list of best desserts would be complete without this simple Italian classic, which simply demands to be devoured alongside a fresh cup of coffee. Despite being a dessert, tiramisu is just as delicious at lunchtime, mid-afternoon or, well, any time, really.
Ingredients
To make six tiramisus, you will need:
400ml double cream
250g mascarpone
75ml marsala
5 tbsp golden caster sugar
300ml coffee
175g sponge fingers
25g dark chocolate
2tsp cocoa powder
First, put the double cream, mascarpone, marsala and golden caster sugar in a large bowl, then whisk until completely combined and the mixture has the consistency of thickly whipped cream.
Next, pour the coffee into a shallow dish and dip in a few of the sponge fingers at a time, turning for a few seconds until nicely soaked, but not soggy. Layer these in a dish until you’ve used half the sponge fingers, then pour half the cream mixture over the top.
Using the coarse side of a grater, grate over most of the dark chocolate. Then repeat the layers, using up all the coffee and finishing with another layer of cream. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight
To serve, dust with the cocoa powder and grate over the remainder of the chocolate.
Enjoy summer with Cafe2U
There are plenty more desserts that go great with coffee so why not head for the kitchen and get experimenting? If you need some top quality coffee delivered to your door to enjoy with your tasty creations, you can contact your nearest Cafe2U van here.