Carlota de Cafe Mexican Dessert (Printer-Friendly)
Chilled coffee cream layered with Maria cookies for a classic Mexican sweet treat, finished with cocoa and coffee garnish.
# What You’ll Need to Cook:
→ Filling
01 -
226 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
02 -
397 grams sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
03 -
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
04 -
0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
06 -
180 to 240 milliliters strong brewed coffee, completely cooled
07 -
830 milliliters heavy whipping cream
→ Assembly
08 -
2 to 3 packages Maria cookies or digestive cookies
→ Garnish
09 -
0.5 tablespoon cocoa powder
10 -
1 teaspoon instant coffee
# Steps to Prepare:
01 -
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, salt, and cooled brewed coffee. Beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
02 -
Add the heavy whipping cream to the coffee cream base. Continue whipping on medium-high speed until the mixture thickens and soft peaks form. The resulting cream should be fluffy but not overly stiff.
03 -
Spread a thin layer of whipped coffee cream in the base of a 23x33 cm baking dish. Arrange a single layer of Maria cookies over the cream, fully covering the surface. Add another layer of coffee cream over the cookies. Repeat this process, alternating cookies and cream, finishing with a final layer of cream on top.
04 -
Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the cookies to soften and flavors to meld.
05 -
In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder with instant coffee. Using a fine sieve, lightly dust the top of the chilled dessert with the cocoa-coffee mixture. Slice into squares and serve well chilled.
# Extra Cooking Tips:
01 -
Use strong brewed coffee for the filling to achieve a robust flavor; decaffeinated coffee is suitable for those avoiding caffeine.
02 -
To ensure the cream thickens properly, start by mixing only half of the coffee with the cream cheese and condensed milk. Once the whipped cream forms stiff peaks, gently fold in the remaining coffee to control the consistency.
03 -
For optimal texture, chill overnight so the cookies fully absorb the cream and achieve a cake-like consistency.
04 -
Enhance the presentation by garnishing with grated chocolate or a sprinkle of extra ground cinnamon if desired.