Original post: January 2010
It’s cold here, and it’s about to get colder. Friday is supposed to be zero, which likely doesn’t faze those of you reading this who live in North Dakota, Minnesota, or in the frozen plains of Antarctica (and if that applies to you, congratulations on the internet access!)—but it very much fazes cattle ranchers in northern Oklahoma who make their living being outside every day.
And I’d venture a guess that it very much fazes the cattle. Fortunately, God gave them thick hides, natural shelter, and the body heat of their fellow bovines to get them through it.
We humans don’t have hides. We humans are wimps.
I’m a wimp. I love the cold, I love winter…but this is too cold for me. Our house is on the drafty side, too, so my yoga pants just aren’t cutting it. So I have to look for alternate ways to stay warm: a constant fire in the fireplace…my daughter’s Snuggie, which I’m not afraid to appropriate, and this:
This. This Dulce de Leche coffee drink is a late afternoon delight—late afternoon, because it contains Kahlua. Delight, because…well, it’s utterly delightful. Honestly, you can’t even begin to imagine the deliciousness; you simply must taste it to believe. The brewed coffee is sweetened with Dulce de Leche in either solid blocks or more of a liquid form resembling sweetened, condensed milk. Then the coffee mixture is combined with Kahlua and topped with sweet whipped cream—and a sprinkling of chocolate is the final nail in the coffin.
You’ll think you’ve died and gone to Heaven.
Here’s what you need, plus sugar.
Alright…let’s get serious for a second. This is the Dulce de Leche I’ll be using for this recipe. It’s a solid block of wonderfulness—about 15 ounces or so—sent to me by a friend in Los Angeles who probably correctly assumed I can’t buy this stuff in my small town grocery store.
Not that I’m complaining about my small town grocery store—have I told you it’s carrying Parmigiano Reggiano now? It’s a dadgum miracle!
Low fat! Low sodium! Low cholesterol!
High sugar. They sorta forget to tell you that part.
When you unwrap the package, you have the bar, which is also tightly wrapped in more cellophane.
And this is the good stuff. Yum.
Slice it into pieces…and set aside.
About Dulce de Leche: it’s also commonly sold in jars or cans—or you can make your own at home. I’ll show you the recipe sometime—it’s not complicated—but the prepared stuff is so readily available, it’s just as easy to pick one up at the store. It’s one of those prepared items that’s probably just as good as homemade.
Okay, back to the drink at hand: we need to whip some heavy cream.
Pour in sugar—about 2 tablespoons.
Whip the cream on high using the whisk attachment of your mixer.
Keep whipping until the cream is stiff.
And please try to refrain from eating this by the spoonful.
And hey—feel free to use Reddi-Wip if that’s what you’ve got in the fridge. I love sticking the nozzle in my mouth and seeing how much I can squirt in there before my cheeks bulge out and explode.
I need entertainment in my life.
Brew some of your favorite strong coffee.
Emphasis on “strong”.
Make sure the coffee is very, very hot, then drop the Dulce de Leche—whether solid or liquid—right in.
Stir it around until it’s completely dissolved—again, it’s best if the coffee is very hot.
Now grab this stuff.
And add a little to each coffee cup.
The Kahlua is optional, but it really does add a delicious—and naughty—kick to this incredible drink.
Speaking of naughty, you can also add a little brandy or whiskey on top of the Kahlua.
And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.
Next, pour the coffee/Dulce de Leche mixture into each glass.
Notice how the Dulce de Leche has transformed the black coffee! This by itself is absolutely sublime.
And then…and then comes this. Plop on the whipped cream—and don’t skimp!
And finally, you need some chocolate. And a grater/zester. If you don’t own a microplane tool, please splurge.
And here’s something important to know about using a microplane zester: you run the zester—upside down—over the substance you want to grate or zest, not the other way around.
Then just sprinkle away!
Moderation is not the key here.
I want enough grated chocolate on the top of my drink that I’m in danger of inhaling it into my lungs when I bring it to my mouth to take a sip.
That’s how much chocolate you should use.
Heaven. Sheer Heaven.
This is just a bonus. Vivian, a friend in Oklahoma City, handed me this little goodie at my book stop there.
They’re roasted cocoa nibs—little bits of pure cocoa beans.
And here’s what I did with them. Yum! The nibs do stay relatively crunchy, but they add a nice richness to the whole experience.
But pure cocoa nibs or not, this Dulce de Leche coffee is out-of-this-world delicious.
Please give it a try while the weather’s still wretched—it’ll warm your soul instantly!
