Are you bold and woodsy or mellow and fruity?
Why do we need a coffee profile? Well, much like how we choose different wines for different foods to create a memorable experience, coffee is another wonderful way to learn about our palates and taste preferences. Every person has a preferred blend, roast and pairing that best suits one’s individual taste and when we know our coffee profile, we choose coffees and pairings best suited to us and create a more enriching experience of the coffee and food we are savouring.
What is YOUR coffee profile? Coffee Profiles® are a combination of the intensity and flavour characteristics of the coffee you enjoy most. Intensity is determined by the beans’roast and flavours are built upon the natural characteristics of the bean through factors such as cultivation methods, origin and terroir.
Van Houtte has identified six Coffee Profiles®, and each of them combines one of the three intensities: Mellow, Velvety or Bold, with one of the two flavour categories: Fruity or Woodsy.
The discovery of your very own Coffee Profile will enhance your daily coffee experience by identifying the coffees that best suit your palate. An easy way to find the ones you will most enjoy and explore their nuances with delight.
Are you Bold & Woodsy? Velvety & Fruity? Select your preferences in terms of intensity and flavours to discover your Coffee Profile.
Click here to discover your profile – START NOW
Coffee Ambassador Wendy Boys has teamed up with Van Houtte to create recipes to pair with your coffee profile.
CLASSIC ECLAIRS FILLED WITH VANILLA PASTRY CREAM AND CHOCOLATE GLAZE BY WENDY BOYS
SERVINGS: makes 36 – 3 inch éclairs
Choux Paste:
¾ cup water
¾ cup milk
½ cup butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1¼ cup flour
6 eggs
Heat the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and dump in the flour all at once. Stir the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Transfer into mixer bowl and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down often. Pipe the batter into
rows onto parchment lined sheets.
Bake at 375°F for 12-16 minutes, rotating the pan at 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and test one éclair for doneness. Break one open and if it looks hollow and dry, remove from oven.
Transfer pastries to a cooling rack to bring to room temperature.
Caramel Cream – Makes about 2½ cups
1¼ cups milk
½ vanilla bean
3 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 sheets gelatin, bloomed in ice cold water
1 cup whipping cream
In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together. Stir the flour and cornstarch into the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk and vanilla bean just to boiling. Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture. Then pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin. Pour into a plastic wrap-lined sheet tray and immediately cover the surface with another sheet of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
Whip the cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cooled pastry cream. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Chocolate Glaze
1 cup 65% dark chocolate
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup glucose or corn syrup
Bring the cream and glucose to a boil. Pour over the chocolate in a small bowl.Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir until shiny and smooth. Set aside until needed.
To serve:
Poke two small holes into the bottom of each éclair with the tip of a knife. Fill the éclairs with a generous amount of pastry cream through the small holes. Dip the tops of the filled éclairs into the chocolate glaze. Place on a tray to allow the glaze to set.
Sprinkle with a light dusting of cocoa powder.
The éclairs can be enjoyed immediately or refrigerated in a sealed container overnight. They make a great dessert for a dinner party or a delicious afternoon treat.
These éclairs pair well with Van Houtte’s “Velvety and Woodsy” blends of coffee.
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