Tallyrand summed up coffee as: Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love.

Today, millions still agree with him. Whether as the ultimate early-morning transfusion, mid-morning diversion, post-dinner finale, or simply a social vehicle, coffee remains one of the most enduring and popular of beverages.

Yet it is not only as a drink that coffee can be used. Its distinctive flavour adds zip and intrigue to everything from cocktails to candies.

Here are just some of the ways to "perk up'' your coffee capers!: Ribbon Loaf From Page 28 COMBINE gelatin, sugar, salt, and instant coffee; mix well. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin dissolves -- about 3 minutes. Chill until slightly thickened. Whip 3 cup of the cream and fold into gelatin mixture. Chill until almost firm.

Meanwhile, trim cake as needed to fit 8- by 4-inch loaf pan and split into three layers. Line pan with wax paper. Place first layer of cake in bottom of pan; spread with half the gelatin mixture. Add second layer of cake; spread with remaining gelatin mixture. Top with third layer of cake. Then chill about 3 hours.

Unmold loaf on platter. Whip remaining cream with 2 tablespoons sugar. Spread over top and sides of loaf. Sprinkle with coconut. Chill another hour or more.

Makes 8 servings.

COFFEE CRUMB CAKE 2 cups biscuit mix 1 cup granulated sugar 4 tsps. instant coffee 3 cup milk 1 egg, well beaten 1 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. flour 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 cup finely chopped nuts COMBINE biscuit mix and granulated sugar in bowl. Dissolve 2 teaspoons instant coffee in milk and mix with egg. Add to biscuit mix and stir until blended.

Pour into greased 9-inch pie pan.

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and stir until blended. Remove from heat. Add 2 teaspoons instant coffee, brown sugar, and spices and mix well.

Stir in nuts. Sprinkle this topping over batter in pan. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees F.) 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes about 9 servings.

MOCHA DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE 11 cups sifted cake flour 11 cups sugar 1 tbsp. instant coffee 3 tsp. salt 3 tsp baking soda 1 cup shortening 2 cup water 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla MEASURE sifted flour into sifter; add sugar, instant coffee, salt, and soda.

Stir shortening just to soften. Sift in flour mixture. Add water and mix until all flour is dampened, then beat 2 minutes at medium speed in electric mixer, or 300 vigorous strokes by hand.

Add chocolate, eggs, and vanilla and beat 1 minute longer in mixer, or 150 strokes by hand.

Pour batter into a 9-inch square pan or two 8-inch layer pans, lined on bottom with wax paper. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 40 to 45 minutes for square cake or 25 to 30 minutes for layers.

COFFEE VELVET PIE 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin 3 tbsp. instant coffee 1 cup sugar 2 egg yolks, beaten 13 cups milk 1 tsp. vanilla 2 egg whites 1 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1 baked 9-in. pie shell COMBINE gelatin, instant coffee, and 1 cup sugar in saucepan. Stir in egg yolks and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until gelatin dissolves and mixture coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Chill until slightly thickened.

Beat egg whites with salt until foamy throughout. Add 1 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition until blended. Continue beating until mixture will stand in stiff, shiny peaks. Whip the cream. Stir gelatin mixture slightly; fold in egg white mixture and then whipped cream.

Pour into pie shell. Chill until firm. Garnish with additional whipped cream, if desired.

COFFEE DELIGHT 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin 6 tbsp. sugar 3 tbsp. instant coffee 1 tsp. salt 1 cup boiling water 1 cup cold water Whipped cream or custard sauce COMBINE gelatin, sugar, instant coffee and salt. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour into individual molds.

Chill until firm -- about 3 hours. Unmold. Serve with whipped cream or custard sauce. Makes 4 servings.

CHEWY MOCHA KISSES 1 package (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 egg whites 1 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vinegar 2 tsp. instant coffee 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup chopped walnuts MELT chocolate chips over hot water; cool. Beat egg whites and salt until foamy throughout. Add sugar very gradually, beating after each addition until sugar is well blended. Then continue beating until mixture will stand in stiff peaks. Add vinegar and instant coffee and beat well. (Entire beating process takes about 10 minutes). Fold in coconut, nuts and melted chips.

Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheets. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 10 minutes. Makes 21 to 3 dozen. Nice to know: If desired, recipe may be doubled.

COFFEE FUDGE 3 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup light cream 2 tbsp. light corn syrup 1 cup milk 2 tbsp. instant coffee 3 tbsp. butter or margarine 1 tsp. vanilla COMBINE sugar, salt, cream, corn syrup and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling, without stirring, until a small amount of mixture forms a very soft ball in cold water (or to a temperature of 234 degrees F.). Add coffee, stirring just enough to blend. Continue boiling without stirring until mixture again forms a very soft ball in cold water (or to a temperature of 234 degrees F.). Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla but do not stir. Cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F.); then beat until mixture begins to thicken and lose its gloss. Spread in a lightly buttered 8-inch square pan. When cold, but into pieces. Makes 11 pounds or about 36 pieces.

COFFEE BUTTER 3 tbsp. sugar 2 or 3 tsp. instant coffee 1 tbsp. water 1 cup butter 1 tsp. vanilla COFFEE BUTTER COMBINE sugar, instant coffee and water in a small saucepan. Place over low heat and stir constantly about 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, cream butter until soft and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar mixture to the butter. Add vanilla and blend thoroughly. Use as a spread for toast or pancakes. Makes about 2 cup.

DIET COFFEE TOPPING 3 tbsp. water 1/12 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla 3 tbsp. instant non-fat dry milk 3 tsp. instant coffee Artificial sweeter to equal 2 tsp. sugar POUR water, lemon juice and vanilla into small, deep bowl. Sprinkle with instant non-fat dry milk. Beat with rotary beater to consistency of stiff whipped cream. Fold instant coffee and sweetener. Chill 30 minutes vbefore serving. Serve instead of whipped crem on desserts. Makes about 1 cup, 86 calories per cup).

COFFEE TORTONI 4 tsp. instant coffee 1 envelope whipped topping mix 3 cup cold milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. almond extract 2 egg whites 1 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup chopped nuts COMBINE instant coffee, whipped topping mix, cold milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Whip as directed on topping mix package. Beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until well blended. Continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks will form. Blend egg white mixture and chopped nuts into coffee mixture. Spoon into souffle cups. Sprinkle with additional chopped nuts, if desired. Freeze until firm -- at least 4 hours. Makes 12 servings.

COFFEE ICE CREAM 1 cup regular grind coffee 11 cups milk 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 11 cups heavy cream 2 tsps. vanilla COMBINE coffee and milk in top of double boiler; scald over boiling water.

Remove from heat, but leave over hot water. Place 1 cup sugar in a heavy skillet and stir over low heat until sugar is melted and golden brown. Remove from heat. Quickly strain milk through cheesecloth or very fine sieve.

Very grdually add strained milk to the caramelised sugar, stirring constantly.

Add 1 cup sugar and the salt, stirring until dissolved. Gradually stir hot mixture into egg yolks; then pour egg yolk mixture into top of double boiler.

Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a metal spoon. Cool thoroughly. Then whip cream with vanilla; fold into coffee mixture. Pour into freezing trays or shallow pans. Freeze until almost firm.

Spoon mixture into a chilled bowl and beat until smooth. Return to trays and freeze until firm. Serve with additional whipped cream and garnish with sliced bananas, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

CAFE BRULOT 1 cup instant coffee 4 cups boiling water 3 sticks cinnamon 1 tbsp. whole cloves 1 to 1 cup sugar 1 cup brandy Peel from 1 orange, cut in strips Peel from 1 lemon, cut in strips DISSOLVE coffee in boiling water. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Strain and reheat. Meanwhile, combine sugar, brandy and fruit peel in chafing dish. Heat; then flame the brandy mixture. Slowly add coffee. When flame is extinguished, ladle into demitasse cups. Makes 41 cups, or 9 servings, 4 ounces each.

SPICED VIENNESE COFFEE 3 tbsp. instant coffee* 7 cloves 21 -in. stick of cinnamon 31 cups boiling water* 1 cup sugar Whipped cream Cinnamon * Or use 31 cups hot brewed coffee, omitting 31 cups boiling water PLACE instant coffee in a saucepan. Put cloves and cinnamon stick in a cheesecloth bag and place in the saucepan. Pour boiling water over coffee and spices. Cover; bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 5 to 8 minutes. Remove spice bag. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Garnish each serving with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve at once. Makes 31 cups, or 5 servings, about 6 ounces each.

IRISH COFFEE 2 tbsp. Irish whisky 1 to 2 tsp. sugar 2 to 4 tsp. instant coffee 2 cup boiling water Whipped cream, chilled IN a pre-warmed, 7-ounce stemmed goblet or coffee cup, combine whisky and sugar. Then combine instant coffee and boiling water. Fill goblet about two-thirds full with coffee, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Fill goblet with chilled whipped cream, letting it float on coffee -- do not stir. Makes 1 serving.

BELGIAN COFFEE PUNCH 6 egg whites 11 cups heavy cream 3 tbsp. sugar 3 to 11 cups instant coffee 3 qts. boiling water 1 cup sugar 1 cup Bourbon BEAT egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whip cream, sweeten with 3 tablespoons sugar. Combine egg whites and whipped cream. Dissolve instant coffee and sugar in the boiling water; pour into a large bowl. Add Bourbon. Top with the egg white mixture. Makes about 3 quarts punch, or 24 servings, 4 ounces each.

CAFE COCKTAIL A blend of instant and brewed coffees, making an espresso-type coffee, is the basis of this unusual cocktail.

1 cup brewed coffee 11 tsps. instant coffee 1 cup creme de cacao 1 cup cognac 1-2 tsp. sugar 2 twists lemon rind 1 cup light cream (optional) Cracked ice BLEND all ingredients except ice. Then shake with ice. Strain. Serve in whisky sour glasses. Makes 11 cups, or 3 to 4 servings, 3 or 4 ounces each.