Carlota de Cafe

James Matthew Najera · 2025-02-12T07:00:00-0500

Indulge in a no-bake dessert that layers creamy sweetness with a hint of coffee magic—perfect for any occasion!

Image Credit: Jo Cooks

Ingredients:

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together the room temperature cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and cooled coffee. Use a mixer to beat the mixture until it's smooth and creamy.
Pour the heavy whipping cream into the coffee mixture and continue whipping until it thickens and soft peaks form. The cream should be airy but not too firm. Don’t worry if it seems thin at first—it’ll thicken with a bit more whipping.
In a 9x13-inch dish, spread a thin layer of the whipped coffee cream mixture on the bottom. Add a layer of Maria cookies, covering the surface completely. Top with another layer of the coffee cream. Repeat, alternating layers of cookies and cream, until all the cream is used, ending with a layer of coffee cream on top.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to let the cookies soften and flavors blend.
Before serving, combine cocoa powder and instant coffee in a small bowl. Lightly dust the top of the Carlota with this mixture using a fine sieve. Slice into squares and serve chilled.

Notes:

Use strong brewed coffee for a richer flavor, or decaf if you prefer to avoid caffeine.
If the cream mixture isn't thickening, try mixing half of the coffee into the cream cheese and condensed milk first. Once the cream has stiffened, slowly fold in the rest of the coffee for better control over the consistency.
For best results, chill the dessert overnight so the cookies soften into a cake-like texture.
Add grated chocolate or a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra flair along with the cocoa powder and coffee.

Thank you so much, Jo Cooks, for this dessert idea. You can find more of these in our Cooking & Recipes forum.

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