Coffee Jello & Coffee-Break Muffins (Wake Up Care Package)

Question: How can you help friends turn from night people into early morning people?
Answer: Caffeine.

I have some friends who switched their work schedule and now start really early in the morning. By the second day of the new schedule, it looked like everyone just got off a transatlantic flight and had some major jetlag.

So, I made a Wake Up Care Package. Everything with sugar. Everything with caffeine. That's how I roll. Well, that's how I gift.

I made Coffee Jello. Since I first created and posted this recipe, it has been much clicked on and made. And I must say, It. Is. Fantastic. If you are a coffee drinker, you'll like it.

I also made Dorie Greenspan's Coffee-Break Muffins.

The only problem with this care package is that as I was preparing it for delivery, I kept eating the end pieces of the Coffee Jello and had to try one of the muffins (quality control people, quality control). But I don't drink caffeine so I got so. freaking. wired. My heart was racing and I was talking a mile a minute. I already talk fast, so I was like that "vintage" FedEx commercial guy.

Then I got a big headache and remembered why I don't have caffeine. Anyway, make these treats for a friend (who is accustomed to caffeine) as an edible wake up call.

P.S. Come back on Saturday as I lurch toward my 40th birthday. I'll be 39 8/12 and I'll be having another giveaway!

Recipes:
Coffee Jello (blog entry and printable recipe)

Coffee-Break Muffins
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1 stick)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I added)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Prep 12 muffin cups.
2. In a big bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Stir in the brown sugar, making sure there are no lumps.
4. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk the coffee, melted butter, egg, and vanilla until combined. (I used Starbucks VIA (one packet). Since the coffee needs to be cool, I used about 1/3 cup boiling water, mixed til dissolved, and filled it with 2/3 cup cold water.)
5. Add mini chocolate chips. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and, with a whisk, gently but quickly stir to blend; don't overmix.
6. Scoop into muffins. I use an ice cream scoop.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

National Library Week Day 3: Coffee Jello & Disney Giveaway

Coffee Jello
Yeah, this isn't the stuff you get in the hospital.

It's National Library Week! This is the 2nd annual celebration on my blog. As I say, I'm putting the Librarian in the Food Librarian!

Last month, I had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant, and my friend ordered Vietnamese coffee - a combo of espresso and condensed milk. I love Vietnamese coffee, but I can't handle caffeine so I just had a sip. I knew I wanted to make it in Jello form. Right away.

The Japanese also make a coffee jello - sweetened black coffee gelatin cubes or cups. Often, it is served with cream. But I wanted mine all mixed together so it can be served easy-to-eat finger jello style.

I made this with Starbucks VIA (Starbuck's new instant coffee), Knox unflavored gelatin, and sweetened condensed milk. Because the milk is sweetened, I didn't add any additional sugar.

This was a CROWD favorite at the library. My co-workers love all coffee and mocha desserts. I brought it out at 3 pm and it was a perfect pick-me-up! Of course, you can make them with decaffeinated coffee...but the coffee drinkers will just look at you weird and wonder why anyone would do that.

I used mini-cupcake liners to serve the coffee jello. These are about 1-inch squares.

The Librarian Action Figure (modeled after real-life librarian and author Nancy Pearl) can eat a whole plate of coffee jello.

All this week, I'm highlighting a library thing (usually a public library thing b/c that's my gig). Today, it's Downloadable Media. My favorite provider is OverDrive. You can download audiobooks and eBooks to your home computer and transfer them to a portable device (such as MP3, iPod, Sony Reader, Barnes & Noble Nook). Remember that crazy 30 days of Bundts I did in November? I wouldn't have made it through all that baking and blogging without downloadable audiobooks. Downloadable media is free, easy to use and there are never any overdue fines. See if your library subscribes to OverDrive on their website.

I'm having 5 days of giveaways during National Library Week!

To celebrate Day 3 of National Library Week, I'm giving away the following to one lucky winner:
a. Two Disney kitchen towels
b. Two Mickey Mouse shaped egg or small pancake molds

Living in Southern California has some disadvantages (our seasons are: Fire, Flood, and Earthquake) but sooooo many advantages. And one is buying the Disneyland Annual Pass. So, I picked up these cute kitchen Disney-themed items for today's giveaway!

I have a set of the molds and made this last year (post here). Enter the contest so you can greet friends and family with fun shaped food. :)

To enter the Day 3 Giveaway, simply leave a comment below (one entry per person) and I'll pick the winner from a hat (aka Random). Deadline for all contests: Monday, April 19, 2010 at midnight PDT. If your comment isn't linked to a blog where I can find you, please leave your email. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Librarian action figure not included.

Also, don't forget to enter the Day 1 Giveaway: Cookbook and Chef Post-its and Day 2 Giveaway: Loaf Pans. Good luck with the giveaway, make some Coffee Jello, and see you back here tomorrow!
- mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Click here for the printable recipe

Coffee Jello / Coffee Gelatin
1/2 c cold water
2 cups strong coffee, hot. I used two packages of Starbucks Via. The coffee needs to be strong. This isn't the time for Sanka instant. :)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin

1. Place 1/2 c cold water in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 3 unflavored gelatin packets over the water. Let sit until the gelatin blooms, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the hot coffee and mix until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
4. Stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour into glass pan. Thickness of finished jello depends on the size of the pan. I used a 7 x 11 pan but a 9 x 13 pan will give you thinner pieces and an 8 x 8 pan will give you thicker pieces.

Note: The combo of coffee and sweetened condensed milk is inspired by Vietnamese coffee. You can probably adapt this to use coffee or espresso, cream and sugar (be sure to dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee and gelatin). I find that 1 packet of unflavored gelatin will firm up 1 1/2 cups of liquid to finger jello "strength" (according to David Lebovitz's "How to Use Gelatin" post you can mold 2 cups with one envelope - but I feel finger jello needs to be stronger).

Raspberry Blanc-Manger (Tuesdays with Dorie)

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Susan of Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy selected Raspberry Blanc-Manger on pages 398 and 399 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

The Blanc-Manger. I thought it was a cousin of the Mont Blanc fountain pen.

Turns out it's a cousin of the panna cotta with some almond meal, whipped cream, milk, raspberries and gelatin. It is pronounced: "blah-mahn-jhay"

Beyond simple to make, it's like eating sweet air.

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!

Recipe:
Find it on Susan's pretty blog or on this NPR piece, "It's never too hot in the Kitchen for Dessert" (June 22, 2007)

Stained Glass Jello - Laker Nation Style

Game 4 of the NBA Championship is on tonight!

My friend JustJenn made Marbled Lakers Cupcake for Game 2, and that inspired me to show my Los Angeles Lakers spirit.

This is called Broken Glass Jello or Stained Glass Jello. Totally easy to make with boxed jello, Knox unflavored gelatin and sweetened condensed milk...and time.

I've made it with 4 colors before, and you can adapt it in a rainbow of colors.
Originally posted (with directions): Broken Glass Jello

Broken Glass or Stained Glass Jello
(Adapted from JustJenn)

4 small boxes (3 oz. each) of Jell-O or store brand "gelatin dessert" in different colors. (I used 2 boxes of 3 oz. lemon jello and one 6 oz. box of grape)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (don't get evaporated milk)

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (that Knox stuff)

For each flavor, dissolve one box of jello in one cup of boiling water. Pour into a container and chill (overnight is probably best, but I chilled it 3 hours until firm). I had four of these containers of jello.

After chilling the four flavors, cut them into small blocks.

Carefully mix the blocks in a 9 x 13 pan.

In a separate bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin into 1/2 cup cold water. After the gelatin blooms, add 1 1/2 cup boiling water and dissolve. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir and cool. Pour cooled milk mixture over jello. It does help to take the time to skim off any small bubbles that are created when you pour the condensed milk on the jello pieces. Chill overnight.

Cut into blocks or shapes and serve! In this case, serve up and cheer!

By the way, did you hear this NPR Morning Edition piece by Tom Goldman? Anti-Lakers Sentiment Rampant Through NBA Fans. Eeck!! I'm a native Los Angeles gal so the Lakers have always been my team. Please don't hate me for it! :)

Easter Jello

Easter Jello!

Easy Peasy Easter Treat from 3 ingredients and a level refrigerator

My new oven is arriving today! Yippee!

Here is an easy no-bake Easter treat:

1. Jello.
2. Sweetened Condensed Milk.
3. Knox Gelatin.

For each layer:
3 ounces of Jello. (3 oz is a small 4-serving box. Blue and Purple flavors come in larger 6 oz. boxes - I use my scale and weigh out 3 oz or just measure half the package.

1 full or 1/2 package of Knox gelatin. For mine, I used 1 package. Next time, I would decrease this to 1/2 a package. My jello was kinda stiff. It ain't going anywhere. So, it's up to you - I was making up this recipe as I went along.

1 cup boiling water

Mix until totally dissolved.

In a separate glass measuring cup (or bowl), empty 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (don't use evaporated milk, 1 can is about 1 cup of milk). Add enough boiling water to make 2 cups of liquid.

Add 1/2 cup of the milky mixture to the dissolved colored jello.

Pour into pan and let set for about 30 minutes (depending on how much gelatin you use and if you let the mixture cool a bit before pouring). Make sure your refrigerator is level! :)

Continue for other colors. You can make up to 4 layers with the 2 cups of milky mixture.

I used this garnishing tool to make the crinkly cuts. Cute, huh? Picked it up cheap at my local restaurant supply place.

I used blue, purple and green Jello flavors (I think that translates into blueberry, grape and lime, but they all taste the same to me!) I was going to add pink or yellow, but it got too tall and I was tired. :)

Happy Easter to you and your family!

Next week, I hope to make a kosher/vegetarian gelatin with agar agar. Agar Agar is made from seaweed and used in a lot of Asian gelatin desserts (in Japanese cooking, it is called Kanten). Don't know if it'll be Kosher for Passover, but it won't have animal products...unless I make bacon jello (just kidding)! Also, next week is National Library Week so come on back for giveaways and all things library!