VARIATIONS For a caffeine kick — Use 1 tablespoon of dark roast coffee beans in the crust and 1/2 teaspoon
of instant espresso powder in the chocolate drizzle.
Once you have made the basic shortbread batter, you can add about 1/2 cup (90 grams) of chocolate chips to make chocolate chip shortbread, or add 1 tablespoon
of instant espresso powder for a coffee favor.
I had been using super finely ground coffee beans in my brownies in
lieu of instant espresso powder but making this recipe I finally see that it is not the same thing, presumably because the instant powder dissolves.
The key is using high quality chocolate for the unsweetened and cocoa powder (I used Valrhona) and I also added just a little
bit of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate mixture to bring out the flavors.
Sure, I'm going to measure my baking powder and level it off just so, but I'm also going to throw in however many chocolate chips, a pinch of cinnamon, a
spoonful of instant espresso powder, and those heath bar bits I've been storing in my freezer (see below for the Dulce de Leche Cinnamon - Mocha Bites that resulted).
Yes, good thing they'd be fantastic plain too My other (vegetarian) favorite way to enjoy these pancakes is with chocolate chips, a
tablespoon of instant espresso powder, and a dollop of Nutella.
With machine off, add 1 1/4 cup of sifted powdered sugar, the vanilla, butter, 2 teaspoons
of instant espresso powder, and a pinch of salt.
Also, instead
of instant espresso powder, we simply make a shot of real espresso, and make it up to the 2-1/4 cups of water.
-- I added a teaspoon of dark Myers's rum and two teaspoons
of instant espresso powder to the butter - sugar - egg mixture both times, to deepen and enhance the cocoa flavor.