Go ahead and use decaf if you prefer. The process of decaffeination deprives coffee beans of some of their aroma and flavor, but a good brand of decaffeinated will work fine in these recipes. In fact, the three flavors together are divine. I also like to pair coffee and caramel because they're both strong flavors that play well off each other, as in the espresso brittle recipe that follows. Besides these traditional coffee combinations, a few others stand out.
Rich nuts round out the sharply intense flavor of coffee.
Hazelnuts are great as well. Chang is the pastry chef at Mistral in Boston. She'll soon open her own pastry shop, Flour, in Boston. Used by permission. Read our Privacy Policy .