These days, coffee is the signal that A New Day Has Come, and for some of us, it’s the propeller throughout the rest of our day. But far beyond cappuccinos and espressos and newfangled milks is the coffee itself: providing the perfect contrast of flavor in too-sweet desserts and adding layers to your favorite meats. Here are the ways you can find us using it.

A Latte Facts

Planted

Coffee beans are technically seeds. They’re the pits of the cherry-like berries found on flowering shrubs, but we call them “beans” because of their resemblance to legumes.

Worldwide

Brazil produces about a third of the world’s supply, about twice as much as the second-place holder, Vietnam.

Defined

Espresso means “pressed out” in Italian. This refers to the way espresso is made — forcing boiling water through pressed coffee grounds.

Speckled Coffee Cookies

Recipe by Sarah Faygie Berkowitz

Reprinted from IsraeliKitchen.com

A sophisticated, speckled cookie with a gourmet coffee flavor and delicious chocolate center.

YIELDS 4 DOZEN

• ⅔ cup butter or Earth Balance
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp orange juice or milk
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp instant coffee granules
• 2 chocolate bars or 4 dozen espresso balls

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth, then add juice or milk. Add dry ingredients and mix well. (Coffee granules should be added with the dry ingredients to achieve a speckled look.) Use a small ice cream scooper to scoop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cookies just start to set.

Immediately after removing from the oven, press half a square of chocolate or a coffee bean into the center of each cookie. Cool on a wire rack.

Coffee Crinkle Cookies

Recipe by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

Reprinted from Overtimecook.com

If you love coffee, you’ll absolutely love this twist on a crinkle cookie!

YIELDS 2-3 DOZEN

• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 Tbsp boiling water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2⅔ cups flour
• granulated sugar, for rolling (optional)
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil and sugars for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla, coffee, and baking soda. Beat to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until creamy and smooth after each addition. Add the flour and beat until just combined. If the dough is too loose to scoop, refrigerate it for an hour or two before continuing.

Scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop, then drop it into the granulated sugar. Roll to coat evenly. Next, roll in the confectioners’ sugar until evenly coated. Place on a cookie sheet and repeat until all dough has been used. Leave plenty of room for the cookies to spread.

Bake for 9–10 minutes, until the tops are set.

Note: You can skip the granulated sugar step, but the powdered sugar won’t be as visible.

Affogato

Recipe by Chaya Suri Leitner

When it comes to coffee, I’m a purist; I like a good shot of espresso with a little milk. But when I really want to treat myself during the day and I need a little pick-me-up delicacy, I prepare a good affogato.

Prepare a shot of espresso or very strong instant coffee. Start with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a cup (you can add 2 scoops; I won’t judge). Top it with a Kif Kef chocolate bar (or any chocolate you like). Pour the hot espresso or coffee over the ice cream and chocolate. For extra crunch, add some chopped pistachios. Enjoy!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 779)