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Coffee Desserts Offer Sweetness with a Bite

When I'm writing a restaurant dessert menu, I feel a bit like Goldilocks in my quest to create a selection of sweets that's "just right." I try to balance the offerings so that all diners will find something that appeals to them. Chocoholics crave rich and dark chocolate desserts; other customers like to end their meal with something light and fruity; vanilla—no surprise here—is always a huge hit. But of all the flavors I have to work with, the one that I love the most is coffee. Why? Coffee is rich without being overwhelming. Its bitter edge elevates a dessert from one-dimensional sweetness to refined sophistication. And coffee as a flavoring couldn't be easier to use. Adding it to custards, ice creams, cakes, and fillings usually consists of little more than grinding some beans and can even be as easy as opening a jar of instant coffee.

-Joanne Chang