Black Insomnia has you covered, from indulgent milkshakes and blended frappes, to other more unusual ways to integrate coffee into your summer mode!
Blended Coffee Frappe
Try this creamy, chilled coffee drink with a touch of caramel. Just 10 minutes needed out of your schedule and you have the perfect sweet drink for a summer’s day. (A blog by the Food Network explains it perfectly).
What you need:
- 2 cups small ice cubes
- 2 shots of Black Insomnia Espresso, cooled
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream and caramel sauce, for topping
Put the ice, espresso, milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender. Blend until thick and smooth and the ice lumps are gone. Pour into two tall glasses and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Coffee Milkshake
Rich and creamy, with a hint of chocolate flavour, this coffee milkshake makes the perfect summer pick-me-up. There are at least ten thousand different ways to drink coffee (that we know of), but this classic coffee milkshake is one of our favourites!
The best coffee milkshake recipe is always ones that lets you bend the rules. If you have leftover coffee from the morning or a cold brew can nearby, and some vanilla ice cream in your freezer, you could be sipping a coffee shake in about five minutes!
What you need:
- 4 large scoops of vanilla ice cream
- 1/3 cup of milk (pro tip: use cream for thicker milkshake)
- 4 shots of Black Insomnia espresso (or two lungo capsules)
- 1 milk (or dark) chocolate bar or, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- 1 cup of ice
- Whipped cream and chocolate sauce (optional)
To make this milkshake, simply add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth and combined.
Coat the inside of your glass with chocolate sauce of your choice. Pour the blended milkshake into one big glass, or two small glasses. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.
Coffee Marinated Steak
Coffee isn’t just for drinking. If you’re planning on firing up the barbeque this summer, try this one out and let us know how it goes.
Expect four hours of prep time, but it is easy to make and so worth it! A great blog by CoffeeSphere explains it well.
What you need:
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup strong filter coffee (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Champagne vinegar (or white/red wine vinegar.)
Make the coffee marinade by combining the dry ingredients (onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, paprika, and black pepper) in a bowl. Then, whisk in the wet ingredients until combined.
Place your meat into a large zip-lock bag and pour marinade over. Give it a good shake to ensure the meat is well covered, then leave to marinate for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator.
Bring your steak back to room temperature by removing from the fridge about 30-minutes before you plan on cooking. Season with salt and pepper and pan-sear steak over medium-high heat. Cook to your desired doneness, we won’t judge you.
Espresso Chiffon Cake
Okay, savoury done, now let’s try a sweet treat. The espresso chiffon cake is light and tender like a sponge cake but healthier and lower in calories. We chose to use espresso because it has a much stronger taste with a richer coffee flavour.
Using vegetable oil instead of butter or shortening makes the result lighter and airy. It's a guilt-free dessert to finish off a hearty meal. CoffeeSphere has a great recipe on it.
What you need:
16-20 grams ground Black insomnia Coffee
Powdered sugar (optional)
For batter:
- ¾ cup sifted cake flour
- ⅛ cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- For meringue (beaten egg whites)
- 5 large egg whites
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ cup sugar
Tools and Equipment:
- Mixer / Hand mixer
- Espresso machine
- Mixing bowl
- Tube pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Strainer (optional)
How to Make Espresso Chiffon Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F.
- Pour a double espresso shot and set aside.
- Make the batter: Combine cake flour, sugar, and baking powder. Then add espresso, egg yolks, coconut milk, and vegetable oil. Whisk until well- combined. Set aside.
- Make the meringue: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on medium-low speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and gradually add sugar until medium peaks form.
- Fold meringue into the batter. Mix and pour into a tube pan. Make sure it is clean and ungreased in order for the cake mixture to grip and rise properly.
- Place in a preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. or check for doneness using a toothpick. ( insert one into the centre and make sure it comes out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool upside down on a flat surface. This will prevent the cake from shrinking and becoming dense.
- Release the cake from the pan by running a knife along the inside edge of the cake pan and centre core. Optional: Dust with powdered sugar.
If you’re going to try any of these summer specials out, please make sure to tag us on our social platforms and let us know how they went. Plus, if you have other ideas, drop us a line!
Sure, a warm cup of coffee hits a little bit different in the cold weather, but coffee isn’t reserved for the gloomy winter months. As we enter into the summer, coffee remains a beautiful way to take a moment out of a busy schedule, catch up with friends or re-energize yourself.