Wake Up And Smell The Coffee!

A kitchen staple and one of the most popular drinks globally, coffee is now being studied for its health benefits. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) removed coffee from the list of possible carcinogens.

While overdoing anything is ill-advised health, enjoying the brew in moderation seems to be the key.

A Must-Try Coffee Recipe

Whether you brew yourself a strong espresso, make a decadent cake or dessert with it or try your hand at a unique coffee-crusted chicken or steak, there are endless ways to use these fragrant beans in your everyday cooking.

Here’s a must-try coffee cake recipe for lovers of the rich brew.

Ingredients

Instant coffee powder 2 ½ tablespoons

Butter 125 grams (room temperature)

Vanilla essence ½ teaspoon

Jaggery powder ¾ cup

Eggs 2 (room temperature)

Whole wheat flour 1 ½ cup (or you can use white flour)

Hung curd ½ cup

Walnuts chopped ¼ cup

Baking powder 1 teaspoon

How to

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Nicely grease the baking tin with butter or oil.

Now, mix 1 ½ tablespoons of coffee in 2 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until it gets dissolved.

In a bowl, using an electric hand blender, beat butter, vanilla essence and jaggery powder until light and fluffy. Add the coffee-water mixture and beat until well combined. Add one egg and beat the mixture, then add another egg and beat it again. Don’t get alarmed if the mixture looks curdled.

Sift the flour and baking powder over the egg-butter mixture and gently mix them with a wooden spatula. Add the hung curd and fold it in, mixing the ingredients until everything comes together. Add the walnuts to it.

Spoon the mixture into the baking pan and bake for about 40 minutes. Let it cool and transfer it to a wire rack or a cake dish. Mix 1 tablespoon of coffee powder and 1 teaspoon of sugar into two tablespoons of boiling water. Gently drizzle the mixture all over the cake. Serve it warm.

Coffee For Skin and Hair

Rich in antioxidants, coffee helps fight free radicals and protects the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. When ground and used as a scrub, coffee can make your skin look fresh, energized and young.

Using a coffee scrub on your scalp or rinsing your scalp and hair with a cold brew may restore their PH balance.

DIY Tip

Give your dull hair a health boost with a coffee wash. Post shampoo and conditioning, apply a cold brew on your scalp. Massage it well and let your hair dry naturally. Not only will it cover the stray white hair, but also make your hair shine. Do this once a week for hair that has a lovely coffee tint. It will save you some trips to the salon too.