A question about a recipe: Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

I have a question about the ingredient "instant espresso powder (like Medaglia D'Oro, or similar)" on the recipe "Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies" from KelseyTheNaptimeChef.
So, I don't have any espresso powder in the house. We've got Folgers instant coffee, as well as good high-quality espresso beans. Should I grind the beans really fine and then put them in, grind up the instant coffee a little finer, or pour in some liquid espresso, and if so, how much of each should I put?

nka2
  • Posted by: nka2
  • November 1, 2011
  • 7620 views
  • 7 Comments
Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Recipe question for: Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

7 Comments

nutcakes
nutcakes November 2, 2011
I've often run across the need for that particular coffee grind for baking, and never can find it. So I grabbed a jar of it last time i spotted it and haven't used it once at all. In the past I have just used some very strong brewed coffee as part of the liquid, but in this cookie, that is a LOT of powdered expresso. Yuck to Folgers instant, and yuck to gritty granules of your good beans in a cookie. Maybe you don't want this answer but make something else.
 
drbabs
drbabs November 2, 2011
Funny, nutcakes, I keep a jar of the medaglia d'oro instant espresso in my freezer for such occasions, and I was thinking that to my taste the Folger's might not cut it also. And it's really a coffee flavored cookie, not a chocolate cookie in which a little bit of coffee enhances the chocolate flavor. So I'm semi-retracting my first answer because I kind of agree with you, except that one person's yuck is another's yum, so nka2, if you really like Folger's instant coffee's taste, go for it.
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 November 1, 2011
I can't speak for the question. But just a flashblack for 'instant coffee'. My grandmother would serve ice cream to us with "sanka" instant coffee on top (caffeine free)..and put in a bit of coca cola in the bowl.
This is the only reason I keep instant coffee in my house.
 
creamtea
creamtea November 1, 2011
We used to have sanka on top of ice cream too. No coca cola with it though.
 
meganvt01
meganvt01 November 1, 2011
I use Folger's in Ina Garten's chocolate recipes all the time - I've done espresso as well, and not noticed a difference. Its really just to bring that certain j'ne sais quoi to the chocolate flavor :)
 

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drbabs
drbabs November 1, 2011
I'd use the instant coffee in the same amount. I've made these--the coffee flavor is really strong and there's a big jolt of caffeine. You want the coffee to dissolve, so the ground beans won't work. And if you use liquid espresso, you'll throw off the liquid to solid ratio in the batter.
 
nka2
nka2 November 1, 2011
Thanks a lot. I also read that you can make your own instant espresso by taking espresso grounds, drying them, and grinding them in a coffee grinder. Would that work if I wanted to make these later?
 
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