i live in a state of nostalgia and, truthfully, it’s why i started cooking. as we began to break free from the reins of the pandemic, i had an urge to recreate the foods that hold a special place in my heart; espresso muesli is one of them.
it was fall 2016 and my first time grocery shopping in my new city. armed with my petit sac1, i ventured to Carrefour, the major French-owned grocery store, in search of new snacks and landed upon this interesting cereal called “muesli” in the flavor espresso.
the name muesli derives from Swiss physician Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, who served the dish to his patients in the early 20th century. in an effort to combat common illnesses at the time, Bircher-Benner turned to the human diet and consumption of raw foods as a motif to improve one’s physical health.
consisting of a mix of rolled oats, nuts and seeds, muesli, today, is a traditional European breakfast cereal consumed cold. in short, it’s very reminiscent of granola, except it’s typically served over milk.
upon first taste, it was an immediate love affair. notes of espresso, aligned with the crunchiness of rolled oats, made for an occasion i couldn’t go a day without. i found myself consuming bowls of it throughout the day because it was that good.
the best part of the experience was the dénouement, when all the muesli had been consumed and there was nothing left but the milk, which turned into café au lait2; it was liquid gold. hints of espresso and dark chocolate joined forces to steep the leftover milk. it was more than mere cereal. it was an experience, the muesli experience.
a few years ago, i found something similar to this style of muesli, but it wasn’t the same. hence, i found a way to make my own. i talk about food and the eating experience a lot because i believe we underestimate the power food plays on our emotional well-being.
food has the power to conjure past memories and feelings which, in turn, helps to enhance the eating experience and improve our mood. admittedly, i began to take cooking seriously for this reason alone; i wanted to consume foods and prepare meals that brought back fond memories and gave me joy, and this espresso muesli is one of my fondest delights.
the espresso muesli is slightly bitter, yet provokes a richness you just don’t find in cereal. i like to take my muesli over milk, but it can also be enjoyed on its own as a snack or a topping for yogurt.
the recipe is simple: 2 cups rolled oats, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ cup white sugar, 1 tsp butter, 1 tbsp espresso powder, ¼ cup water and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of rolled oats with 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt and set aside.
Once you combine the dry ingredients, toast them atop stove on low heat in 1 tsp of unsalted butter.
In a separate bowl, prepare your espresso syrup, which is used to bind the rolled oats mixture. The espresso syrup consists of ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup hot espresso and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Mix ¼ cup hot espresso and ½ tsp vanilla extract into your ½ cup of white sugar and let rest for 30 minutes, mixing every so often. You want the espresso syrup to thicken and cool before you add it to the rolled oats.
After rolled oats mix toasts for at least 25 minutes atop stove, transfer to bowl with the espresso syrup, mix and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Once all the ingredients are well combined, transfer to baking tray and place into 350° oven to bake for 40 minutes. When you take the muesli out of the oven, let cool for at least 20 minutes so it can harden.
anyways, i hope this helps you in your eating journey.
love & madness,
Bojepsÿ 
Leave a comment