Coffee Rum Pie

Beat 4 eggs with a pinch of salt until they are foamy, add 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar, and continue beating the meringue until it is stiff and glossy. Spread some of the meringue on the bottom of a buttered 9 inch pie plate. Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tube, pipe the remaining meringue in a border around the pie plate, to make a shell. Pipe small rosettes of meringue on a a buttered baking sheet. Bake the shell and rosettes in a slow oven (275degrees F) for about 5 minutes, or until the meringue is golden and firm, and cool the shell.

In the top of a double boiler combine 1 cup heavy cream with 1/2 cup each of strong coffee and light rum, 6 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil , stirring constantly, and set the pan over boiling water. Cook the mixture for a few minutes until it thickens. Beat 5 egg yolks until they are light and lemon-colored. Blend a little of the cream mixture with the eggs yolks and stir the eggs slowly into the pan Cook the custard, stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons dark rum and stir custard over cracked ice until it is cool. Pour the filling into the shell and decorate with meringue rosettes.

Coffee Ice

In a pitcher combine 3/4 cup finely ground coffee and 6 tablespoons sugar, and add 1 quart boiling water. Set the pitcher in a saucepan of hot water over low heat and let the coffee infuse for 30 minutes. Cool the infusion and strain it through a double layer of cheesecloth. Freeze the mixture in a refrigerator tray, without stirring for 3 hours, or until it forms a granular mass. Serve the ice in sherbet glasses accompanied by a pitcher of heavy cream.

Coffee Creme Caramel

You can make the caramel for this light flavorful dessert in a separate pan, but preparation is easier if you make it right in the casserole dish where you make the desert. Keep a pan of cold water handy, and dip the base of the casserole in the water if the caramel continues to cook and darken after you remove it from the heat. If you prepare the caramel in a separate pan, add extra sugar to make up for the amount of caramel lost when you transfer it to the casserole.

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 - 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso
1 egg
1 additional egg white

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a 2-cup ceramic or metal casserole that can be used over direct heat, combine the sugar and water, and cook over medium heat until caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside

3. In a saucepan., combine the milk, sugar, and espresso. Warm the mixture just enough to melt the instant coffee. Whisk in the whole egg and egg white. Pour the mixture through a strainer over the caramel.

4. Set the casserole dish in a larger pan, and surround it with warm tap water. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, until set, checking from time to time to make sure that the water does not boil. (If it does, add a few ice cubes to cool it to below the boil).

5. Cool for at least 4 hours, and then unmold to serve.