How to turn spent coffee into a brilliant vegan dessert

I’m a bit of a coffee snob who insists on freshly ground coffee brewed for exactly four minutes in a cafetière. If steeped for any less time, coffee resembles dishwater, and if steeped for any longer, it becomes overly caffeinated and viscous – the type of coffee that, according to some, gives you goosebumps. To avoid a too-thick cup of coffee, dispense all the coffee at the four-minute mark; then, if it isn’t consumed immediately, keep it warm in a flask or let it go cold to make iced coffee or dishes like my vegan tiramisu made with tofu, coconut butter, and aquafaba in place of the traditional mascarpone and eggs. Aquafaba eliminates any health and safety concerns associated with consuming raw eggs, while still producing a light, flavorful, and textured tiramisu.

Vegan tiramisu
This vegan rendition of the traditional Italian dessert is made with leftover coffee from the cafetière and aquafaba (AKA chickpea water). The addition of alcohol makes it light, creamy, and rich, as well as complex and slightly decadent. The cream of tartar is optional, but it will aid in speeding up and stabilising the aquafaba that has been whisked. For environmental reasons, I prefer to use organic tofu and soya yoghurt. However, many plant-based brands, such as Alpro, now farm soya in Europe, mitigating some deforestation concerns; see company websites for more information.

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290g drained silken tofu
100ml soya yoghurt
90g melted coconut butter
90g unrefined sugar
2 milligrammes used coffee grounds
1 tsp vanilla extract
100ml aquafaba (the liquid from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas)
1/4 teaspoon tartar (optional)
200ml of robust coffee
25ml of whisky, rum, or another spirit (optional)
20 savoiardi or boudoir sponge fingers
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Blend the silken tofu with the soya yoghurt, coconut butter, sugar, coffee grounds and vanilla extract. In a clean, grease-free metal, ceramic, or glass bowl, whisk the aquafaba and cream of tartar, if using, to stiff peaks using an electric mixer (unlike eggs, you can’t over-whisk aquafaba, so there’s no risk of it separating). Gently fold the aquafaba mixture into the blended tofu mixture.

Read more • theguardian.com