But we've found a few cooks who have taken the appealing flavors of Irish coffee to new places. They've used the cocktail's ingredients to produce very grown-up baked goods for St. Patrick's Day.
Janine MacLachlan of the Rustic Kitchen cooking school in Fennville, Mich., whipped up a tasty shortbread recipe. "I've deconstructed the classic Irish coffee by using ground coffee or espresso and Irish whiskey in a shortbread cookie, which goes great with a cup of ... you get the idea."
Because shortbread tends to be rich and buttery, MacLachlan recommends showcasing an Irish butter, available in many supermarkets. "The shortbread is great alone, but the whiskey glaze makes it special."
Dede Wilson, author of "A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes: Deliciously Decorated Crowd Pleasers for Parties and Holidays" (Harvard Common Press, 164 pages, $18.95), created a cupcake worthy of the adult palate.
"When it comes to St. Patrick's Day and baking, I often think of Bailey's Irish Cream, a whiskey-and-cream-based liqueur," Wilson said.
"To get this cupcake boozy enough, I decided to place it in a mug, so that it could echo an Irish coffee and also be moistened enough while not falling apart."
These are definitely not desserts you'd bring for the school bake sale. As the Irish say, slainte!
foods@tribune.com
Espresso shortbread cookies with Irish whiskey glaze
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Makes: 16 cookies
Adapted from a recipe by cooking teacher Janine MacLachlan.
2 sticks unsalted Irish butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground espresso or coffee
