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| Source: Cafédirect. The Intense Roast Coffee from Cafédirect, presented in the new packaging. |
Cafédirect, the UK drinks company, has introduced its Smooth, Lively and Intense Roast Coffees in all-new packaging.
The coffees are carefully formulated by Cafédirect’s own Q-graders (coffee experts) to express the full-bodied taste of the beans and bring out specific notes. Q grading ensures consistency in the way coffee is graded, and Q graders for coffee are analogous to sommeliers for wines.
“The exciting thing about creating these blends is that we are able to choose coffees that complement each other. Blending different varieties and regions together not only allows Cafédirect to tailor the coffee to a particular taste profile but also provides you with a consistent cup of coffee,” said Georgios Kokkalis, Q Grader and Production Manager, Cafédirect UK.
Three coffee blends were presented by Cafédirect at the Allspice Institute, a heritage culinary and cooking school:
Cafédirect Smooth Roast (strength 3)
This smooth 100% Arabica coffee is a "people pleaser", a blend of Central and South American coffee beans. There is a milk chocolate aroma with natural peanut, brown sugar and gingerbread flavours. It was the first Cafédirect coffee to get the Fairtrade label.
Cafédirect Lively Roast (strength 4)
The perfect balance of body from the Arabica and strength from the Robusta coffee beans, Cafédirect Lively Roast is a skilful blend of Latin American and African beans. It bears a caramel popcorn aroma with hints of tamarind-like and dried orange flavours, perfect for coffee lovers who enjoy a full-bodied brew that provides a creamy mouthfeel.
Cafédirect Intense Roast (strength 5)
Cafédirect Intense Roast is a superior blend of African and Latin American beans, balancing rich coffee flavours with a rounded toffee finish and a mint chocolate aroma. Strong and heavy bodied, this blend of Arabica and Robusta beans imparts the natural flavours of liquorice and tobacco. Kokkalis recommended that this blend be served with sugar and milk.
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| The table setting ahead of the coffee tasting session. Formally, coffee tasting is called "cupping". |
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| Source: Cafédirect. Georgios Kokkalis, Q-Grader and Product Manager, Cafédirect UK showing how perfect coffee can be made simply by using Cafédirect Smooth Roast in a plunger/cafetierre. |
Kokkalis conducted a coffee tasting session for the three blends at the launch of the new packaging. Of the three, with the Intense Roast turned out to be my favourite in terms of aroma and flavour. As an irregular coffee drinker, I assumed a lower-strength coffee would be more to my taste. Lighter roasts, with lower strength ratings, have less intense flavours.
Cafédirect further demonstrated the spectrum of taste profiles of the three blended roast and ground coffees, through a spread of dishes made with coffee. The company invited chefs from Allspice Institute to recreate both savoury and sweet recipes:
Kopi udang (coffee prawns; savoury), which many said was delicious.
Chicken lollipop with coffee sauce (savoury)
Coffee smoked tandoori chicken (savoury)
Coffee religieuse (dessert)
Coffee Damier cake ("damier" means "checkerboard pattern" in French, and the cake when sliced has a checkerboard pattern inside; dessert), another crowd pleaser.
Silent screamer (drink), so called because it will have drinkers screaming in silent delight. The recipe is a twist on traditional coffee tarik with coconut milk and cinnamon added. This was a crowd favourite.
The spread also included coffee-flavoured chendol ice cream and coffee-flavoured hoon kueh, a Peranakan dessert of steamed green bean flour typically mixed with another ingredient, such as corn, and served wrapped in a banana leaf.
Cafédirect’s coffee beans are responsibly grown so that the quality of each coffee bean is at its natural best and a stellar taste profile is retained and delivered freshly ground, directly to consumers. From bean to cup, Cafédirect’s mantra is "100% Fairtrade".
The company's coffee has a premium price as it invests in making sure growers are able to grow coffee sustainably and maintain a better qualify of life. "It was about having that direct relationship with coffee growers from the start," said Olivia Minter, Export Manager, Cafédirect UK.
She shared that to date, Cafédirect has directly given over 50% of its profits to 280,000 growers represented by 39 partner grower organisations across 12 countries. In 2017 alone, it has paid £500,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation. On top of the Fairtrade Premium, Cafédirect also pays 36% above the Fairtrade minimum for Organic Premiums, and 46% over the Fairtrade minimum for Quality Premiums.
“Cafédirect integrates environment and social strategies into our overall business strategy. Social targets for 2020 include projects that will impact 1.5 million farmers of which 50% are women and 40% are youth. The approach will support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to improve food security, climate resilience and decrease poverty. We hope to achieve 100% increase in incomes for the farmers and 70% farmer confidence to combat climate change,” she said.
In working directly with charity partner Producers Direct, Cafédirect has impacted 600,000 farmers and their families since 2009. Producers Direct delivers services by farmers for farmers. The services help producers build resilience to market forces through training, pooled knowledge, access to finance and data for better decision-making. Today, the smallholder farmers have enjoyed a 50% increase in income, and 90% of farmers have witnessed an increase in crop quality and yields.
Explore:
Coffee Damier cake ("damier" means "checkerboard pattern" in French, and the cake when sliced has a checkerboard pattern inside; dessert), another crowd pleaser.
Silent screamer (drink), so called because it will have drinkers screaming in silent delight. The recipe is a twist on traditional coffee tarik with coconut milk and cinnamon added. This was a crowd favourite.
The spread also included coffee-flavoured chendol ice cream and coffee-flavoured hoon kueh, a Peranakan dessert of steamed green bean flour typically mixed with another ingredient, such as corn, and served wrapped in a banana leaf.
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| Coffee chendol popsicles, with coffee religieuse nibbles to the left and coffee hoon kueh in between. |
Cafédirect’s coffee beans are responsibly grown so that the quality of each coffee bean is at its natural best and a stellar taste profile is retained and delivered freshly ground, directly to consumers. From bean to cup, Cafédirect’s mantra is "100% Fairtrade".
The company's coffee has a premium price as it invests in making sure growers are able to grow coffee sustainably and maintain a better qualify of life. "It was about having that direct relationship with coffee growers from the start," said Olivia Minter, Export Manager, Cafédirect UK.
She shared that to date, Cafédirect has directly given over 50% of its profits to 280,000 growers represented by 39 partner grower organisations across 12 countries. In 2017 alone, it has paid £500,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation. On top of the Fairtrade Premium, Cafédirect also pays 36% above the Fairtrade minimum for Organic Premiums, and 46% over the Fairtrade minimum for Quality Premiums.
“Cafédirect integrates environment and social strategies into our overall business strategy. Social targets for 2020 include projects that will impact 1.5 million farmers of which 50% are women and 40% are youth. The approach will support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to improve food security, climate resilience and decrease poverty. We hope to achieve 100% increase in incomes for the farmers and 70% farmer confidence to combat climate change,” she said.
In working directly with charity partner Producers Direct, Cafédirect has impacted 600,000 farmers and their families since 2009. Producers Direct delivers services by farmers for farmers. The services help producers build resilience to market forces through training, pooled knowledge, access to finance and data for better decision-making. Today, the smallholder farmers have enjoyed a 50% increase in income, and 90% of farmers have witnessed an increase in crop quality and yields.
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| Damier cake slices at the buffet. |
Preparation time: 60 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: six to 12
INGREDIENTS part 1:
Chocolate Genoa sponge
600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
50g plain flour
50g corn starch
70g cocoa powder
160g egg white
180g melted butter
METHOD:
1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs
2. Fold with the flour and starch
3. Fold in the melted butter, followed by the cocoa powder mixed with the egg white.
Leave aside until the coffee Genoa sponge is ready.
INGREDIENTS part 2:
Coffee Genoa sponge
600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
70g plain flour
70g corn starch
180g melted butter
30g Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee
600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
70g plain flour
70g corn starch
180g melted butter
30g Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee
METHOD:
1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs
2. Fold with the flour and starch
3. Fold with melted butter, followed by the Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee
4. Pipe the chocolate Genoa sponge batter and the coffee Genoa sponge batter in alternate strips and in layers into a 20cm x 30cm biscuit frame. A biscuit frame helps to ensure a cake keeps its shape.
1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs
2. Fold with the flour and starch
3. Fold with melted butter, followed by the Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee
4. Pipe the chocolate Genoa sponge batter and the coffee Genoa sponge batter in alternate strips and in layers into a 20cm x 30cm biscuit frame. A biscuit frame helps to ensure a cake keeps its shape.
5. Bake at 180oC for 10-12 minutes
INGREDIENTS part 3:
Chocolate ganache - a filling, glaze or sauce made with chocolate and cream
800g 35% cream - this is a heavier cream with a higher fat content
100g glucose syrup
1 kg dark chocolate
200 ml softened butter
1 kg dark chocolate
200 ml softened butter
METHOD:
1. Bring cream and glucose to a boil and turn off the heat
2. Fold in the chocolate and soft butter
3. Cool at room temperature before applying a layer to the cake using a silicon spatula to ensure even coverage.
Explore:
In Singapore, Cafédirect coffee packs are available at Cold Storage, Fairprice Finest, Fairprice Xtra, Jasons, Market Place and Redmart at S$8.70 per 227g pack.
1. Bring cream and glucose to a boil and turn off the heat
2. Fold in the chocolate and soft butter
3. Cool at room temperature before applying a layer to the cake using a silicon spatula to ensure even coverage.
Explore:
In Singapore, Cafédirect coffee packs are available at Cold Storage, Fairprice Finest, Fairprice Xtra, Jasons, Market Place and Redmart at S$8.70 per 227g pack.
