Coffee Indulgence
Indulge is a word that is often connected with chocolate, day spas, French Champagne and expensive dinners-out. These days however, it is becoming more and more linked with coffee, as coffee standards improve across Australia and cafés expand their coffee menus to entice and excite us.
Fifteen years ago, just being able to sit down and have someone else serve you something other than instant coffee was a treat but these days often it takes a flavour shot of syrup or some superb chocolate additive to create that "indulged" feeling. Adding a 15ml shot of a syrup like French Vanilla, Caramel, Irish Cream, Creme Brulee or Hazelnut can for some be an almost life-altering experience. It's probably even fair to say that most that have tried it never go back to drinking just plain coffees ever again. The syrup is added before the espresso and the milk goes on last. Flavouring and steamed milk is a treat on its own - you don't even need coffee to create a great winter-warmer. These drinks are called steamers and are now taking off in cafés and salons around Australia. The aroma that these flavoured drinks produce is to die for (and the taste even better!)
There is a brand of chocolate drinking powder that has just been released in the market called Indulge Your Senses. It is a superfine chocolate drinking powder (not sugary and granular like some) which can be used in hot chocolates and caffe mochas (one tablespoon is
all you need) and as sprinkles on top of coffees. The range includes milk chocolate powder, dark chocolate powder and, our favourite - dark chocolate and marshmallows (talk about indulgence!). The beauty of Indulge Your Senses is that you get the magic taste of great chocolate without the guilt of being seen physically taking chocolates out of a box!
For another indulgence try your hot chocolate, caffe mocha or even cappuccino with some chocolate fudge on top. This new taste sensation is seen in only the best cafes but it should be a staple it tastes so good! This liquid fudge can be purchased or even made yourself by mixing chocolate drinking powder with a little bit of water so that the fudge spreads like a thick syrup. Putting the mixture in a sauce bottle makes it easy to apply and it keeps for a good week or two. With a few strokes of a toothpick through the fudge on top of the coffee you can also make exquisite coffee art in no time at all!
For true coffee decadence try a white caffe mocha. This drink is made with either a white chocolate syrup or a white chocolate powder and a shot of espresso with steamed milk on top. It's sweet (you won't need sugar) and you won't want it every day of the week but on wet afternoons when the world is getting you down, it's the perfect pick-me-up.
Now that you know how coffee and indulgence go hand in hand we invite you to take us up on a few of our ideas. If you've got a sweet tooth and an adventurous spirit you will probably never look at coffee the same way again.
Matthew Gee and David Gee currently run a wholesale coffee business in NSW and a barista training school called BARISTA BASICS Coffee Academy that operates in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Newcastle. They have also owned four cafes in Brisbane (still own one), have been partners in a specialty coffee roaster, have written Australia’s first textbook on coffee, produced several training videos on commercial and domestic espresso machines and are currently producing a book focussing on domestic espresso machines.
Last year Matthew and David appeared on Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia and Channel 9’s Fresh with Jeff Janstz. They have also worked as official espresso tasters for Choice Magazine’s 2004 and 2005 review of home espresso machines. They also periodically appear on Ella James’ Saturday night radio program on Sydney’s 2UE. In 2005 they appeared on Mornings with Kerrie-Anne Kennerley on Channel 9 and Today Extra with Nat Jeffrey on NBN3.
Ó & Ô 2004 David Gee and Matthew Gee
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