Espresso-Choc Pots

Fool your guests with these drink look-alike desserts...

Recently, the coffee machine broke in our house. The tired, old thing that sometimes wheezed steam erratically from the corner, finally gave in. And so it was goodbye caramel-macchiato-with-beans-from-Argentina and hello instant coffee. I could faintly hear mum crying in the background (drinking six cups a day turns anyone into a coffee snob).

Anyway, the new machine arrived and nobody was using the instant powder anymore. Lonely and sad in the cupboard, it has been given the chance to shine in this new recipe! These are perfect for dinner parties, easy-peasy and adorable.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 600ml double cream

• 20 coffee beans

• 100g dark chocolate (broken into pieces)

• 100g milk chocolate (broken into pieces)

• 3 teaspoons espresso instant powder

• 2 tablespoons icing sugar

• Cocoa powder

• Shortbread (to serve)

Equipment:

• Saucepan

• Wooden spoon

• 8 espresso cups

• Electric whisk

• Teaspoon

• Tablespoon

• Piping bag

• Star shaped nozzle

Instructions:

1. Measure 300ml of the double cream into a saucepan and add the coffee beans. Bring to the boil over a low heat.

2. Take off the heat and let the coffee beans stew in the cream for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove the beans and slowly bring the cream back to boiling point.

4. Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until velvety.

5. Divide the mix between 8 espresso cups and leave to cool.

6. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 300ml of cream with the espresso powder and icing sugar until it reaches a pipe-able consistency.

7. Place the cream into a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle fitted. Pipe a few circles of cream and continue overlapping until you reach the brim of the mug, then swirl the ring until you reach the centre.

8. Dust with cocoa powder and serve at room temperature with shortbread.

Recommendations:

If you want to make this fancy, try making your own shortbread. I use BBC Food’s recipe

Alternatively, if you’re lazy (like me), these are my personal favourite shortbreads to serve with this dessert:

Budget:

Sainsbury’s Highland All Butter Shortbread Fingers: £1.00 per pack

Beautiful:

Betty's Yorkshire Shortbread Box: £4.25 per pack