Mocha Madness

Mocha Madness: Can Drinking Too Much Coffee Be Bad?

Sound from Zapsplat.com

Since the dawn of time, people have woken up for their morning cup o’Joe. 

But what happens when that daily indulgence turns into dependence?  

According to Harvard Health, “for people who regularly drink coffee, missing an early morning cup, or even just having your first cup later than usual, can trigger a caffeine withdrawal headache.”

Avid coffee drinking David Ashamalla can agree.

“If I’d gone on vacation and hadn’t had coffee for a couple days, I would get extreme headaches in my temples,” stated Ashamalla. 

None of this means coffee is bad, but it might be time to ditch that latte before work and explore some other options. If you’re looking for a new way to get that morning coffee kick, consider matcha! I have another piece on matcha on the blog. 

The Recipe:

each story, I try to pair a recipe that connects to the article. This week’s recipe is Fresh April Flour’s Coffee Brownies with Mocha Frosting!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (240mL) strong coffee

COFFEE BROWNIES

• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cut into 6-8 slices
• 8 ounces (227g) semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs room temperature preferred*
• 1 Tablespoon (15mL) concentrated coffee
• ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

MOCHA FROSTING

• 2 ounces (40g) unsweetened baking chocolate coarsely chopped
• 4 Tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon (15mL) concentrated coffee
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons (15-30mL) milk or cream
• 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Pour the brewed coffee into a small saucepan.
• Heat over medium heat until boiling.
• Reduce coffee down to 2 Tablespoons, remove from heat, and set aside.

COFFEE BROWNIES

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and chopped chocolate, stirring frequently until completely smooth. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
• Whisk sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Whisk in 1 Tablespoon of the concentrated coffee. Add the flour and salt and stir gently until completely combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake brownies for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.

MOCHA FROSTING

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsweetened baking chocolate and the butter. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cooled chocolate/butter mixture, concentrated coffee, and milk or cream (start with 1 Tablespoon). Turn the mixer onto low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until completely combined, scraping down sides as needed. Add salt to taste.
• When you are ready to frost the brownies, remove the brownies by lifting the foil overhang straight up. Peel back remaining foil and place brownie block onto a large cutting board or safe-to-cut surface.
• Spread frosting evenly over the top of the brownies, then cut into individual servings. Store leftover brownies at room temperature up to 1 week. Brownies freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.