Mocha Cashew Butter Recipes

MOCHA CASHEW BUTTER

Steps:

• Place cashews in a food processor. Cover and process until finely ground. Add 1/4 cup butter; process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. , In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, coffee granules, water and remaining butter. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir into cashew mixture. Top with additional cashews if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM AND MOCHA PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Make the mocha buttercream: Combine espresso powder and hot water in a small bowl; stir until espresso dissolves. Heat egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisking until whites are warm to the touch and sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. (Mixture should feel smooth when rubbed between 2 fingers.) Whisk egg-white mixture with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture cools completely, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition. Switch to the paddle attachment, and reduce speed to low. Beat in espresso mixture and melted chocolate until smooth, then beat to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• Make the mocha pastry cream: Prepare an ice-water bath. Combine espresso powder and hot water in a small bowl; stir until espresso dissolves. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl.
• Bring remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the milk, vanilla seeds, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk one-third of hot-milk mixture into egg mixture. Whisk entire mixture back into saucepan. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook, continuing to whisk, until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time. Whisk in espresso mixture and chopped chocolate until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to ice-water bath; let stand until cooled, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours.

MOCHA NUT BUTTER BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Stir together the flour, cocoa, coffee crystals and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in the dry ingredients just until blended. Stir in the pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets and roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

MOCHA TOFFEE CASHEW BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderately high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in yolk and vanilla, then gradually add espresso mixture, beating until combined well. Add flour and salt and mix at low speed until just combined.
• Spread batter evenly in an ungreased 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-inch baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake in middle of oven until top puffs slightly and sides pull away from edge of pan, 16 to 22 minutes. (Watch carefully toward end of baking; base can burn easily.)
• While base is baking, melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, then remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat. Spread chocolate over warm base and immediately sprinkle with cashews. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then cut into 48 bars. Chill until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.