Tag: #coffee

Homemade Coffee Creamer with Just 3 Ingredients

Coffee creamer being poured into a cup of black coffee, from a small, disposable, plastic container.

Coffee creamer contains neither milk nor cream. In fact, most of the time coffee creamer is dairy-free. Instead, the main ingredients include a combination of vegetable oil, water and sugar. Most store-bought coffee creamers are also processed with thickening agents like carrageenan and cellulose gum, preservatives and artificial flavorings. Walk down any coffee creamer section at the grocery store and you’ll see a variety of flavors in either liquid or powdered form, from classic French Vanilla to the trendier Pumpkin Spice. Coffee creamer is especially popular with those who are vegan or lactose intolerant. And since it doesn’t contain dairy, it has a much longer shelf life.

3-ingredient homemade coffee creamer recipe

Making homemade coffee creamer might sound complicated, but it’s actually surprisingly easy. In fact, most coffee creamers require only 3 ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, a dairy base like milk (or non-dairy product like oat milk) and flavorings. Justine at The Typical Mom blog shares this easy homemade coffee creamer recipe with a sweet vanilla flavor.

Homemade vanilla coffee creamer

Close-up of iced coffee with homemade coffee creamer on table

Ingredients:1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1¾ cup milk, any variety 2 tsp. vanilla extract (or other flavorings)

Directions:

Yield: 12 servings Combine sweetened condensed milk and milk into 1 (32 oz.) air-tight container or 2 (16 oz.) mason jars, for storage. Add vanilla extract and stir. Close container tightly and shake thoroughly until mixture is well-combined. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate.

Note: Every ingredient can be adjusted and replaced to individual liking

Pro tips for the best homemade coffee creamer

To ensure every batch of homemade coffee creamer comes out tasting great, you’ll want to remember a couple things. First, how to adjust sweetness: “You can adjust the sweetness by [gradually] adding more sweetener,” says Thomas. It’s best to start slow and taste as you go (you can always add more). If it’s too sweet? Thomas notes that mixing in unsweetened cream, milk or non-dairy product can help, as well as flavor extracts.

Once you’re finished prepping, you’ll want to store it correctly so that your creamer doesn’t spoil too soon. “You can make it in bulk and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks,” says Johny Morrison, founder and content creator at Coffee About. Be sure to shake or stir your creamer before each use.

Want to make your homemade coffee creamer entirely non-dairy? It’s just as easy! You can substitute sweetened condensed milk with any non-dairy milk. We recommend soy or full-fat coconut milk for a creamier texture.

How to customize homemade coffee creamer

Homemade coffee creamer can have as much variety as the bottles on the shelves. Take it from Morrison: “I like to dissolve cocoa powder or instant espresso in the dairy [milk] for mochas or stir in pumpkin pie spice or hazelnut extract for nutty flavors.” Sip on happiness with these fun homemade coffee creamer flavor variations.

1. Hazelnut

An intense sweet and nutty flavor. Use 2 tsp. hazelnut extract.

2. Caramel

Enjoy that familiar buttery and creamy taste with 2 tsp. caramel extract.

3. Chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Combine 2 Tbs. chocolate syrup with 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

4. Strawberry cheesecake

Your favorite cake in your creamer. Add 1 Tbs. strawberry milk powder and ¼ tsp. cinnamon. 

5. Cinnamon roll

Sprinkle some sugary spice with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbs. vanilla extract and 1 tsp. almond extract.

Source: Woman’s World©

Photo credit: Getty©

Related:  Coffee, Tea or …… Coffee Creamer? – TUTORING YOU

Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew

If you frequent your local coffee shop, you’ve probably seen cold brew listed on the menu. Compared to the classic iced coffee, cold brew is newer to the scene—but its popularity is on the rise.

According to market research firm Statista, cold brew’s market value has tripled over the past five years and is projected to become a nearly billion-dollar industry by 2025.

 

During warmer weather months, many of us make the switch from hot coffee to cold coffee. Iced lattes, frappes, iced Americanos, and of course, cold brew and classic iced coffee. So, what’s the difference?

What Is Iced Coffee?

“Iced coffee” is a broad term that can encompass numerous different drinks. Simply put, iced coffee is coffee, in any form, served over ice. Technically, cold brew, flash brew, or even a pour-over on ice can be considered ice coffee. In many coffee shops, iced coffee means drip coffee that has been refrigerated or poured over ice.

What Is Cold Brew?

A square is a type of rectangle, but all rectangles can’t be categorized as squares; in much the same way, cold brew is one type of iced coffee, but not everything labeled as “iced coffee” can be considered cold brew. So yes, referring to cold brew as “iced coffee” is technically accurate, but cold brew is a specific category of iced coffee with strict rules around preparation. Things can get confusing fast, but it’s important to remember that the distinction is right there in the name: Cold brew is brewed cold. Cold brew is coffee that is brewed with cold water instead of hot water, over a much longer period of time.

The Technique

Even though cold brew is a more recent trend, the technique dates back centuries. One of the oldest documented records of cold brew coffee can be traced to Japan in the 1600s.

Unlike the standard coffee brewing method that extracts the flavor of the beans with hot water, cold brew is made exclusively with cold water. This process takes much longer than making hot coffee. Instead, cold brew sits in the fridge anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.

Then, the coffee grounds are strained, leaving you with a chilled brew that’s ready to drink. The process is pretty hands off but requires a lot of patience.

Sweet or bitter

Besides a different technique, cold brewing coffee also has a different flavor. The use of cold water highlights the naturally sweet and mild taste of the coffee beans. Making coffee with hot water, on the other hand, brings out some bitterness and acidity.

Another quality that makes cold brew distinct is the caffeine levels. Cold brew requires almost twice as much coffee grounds as regular coffee, so each sip gives you a much stronger buzz.

You could simply enjoy cold brew over ice just as you would iced coffee. However, many artisanal coffee shops up the ante by offering nitro cold brew. True to its name, this version infuses nitrogen gas into cold brew and is served from a tap. The method adds tons of tiny nitrogen bubbles to your brew, which adds some sweetness and creates a velvety and creamy texture—almost as if you added steamed milk.

The amount of coffee, time, and equipment required to make cold brew typically tacks on a premium. Some cups can cost upwards of $6, but coffee fanatics firmly believe that the flavor is worth the price.

So, can you taste the difference?

Source: allrecipes.com©

If iced mocha is your drink, then check out this recipe:

A Simple Iced Mocha – TUTORING YOU

5 Caffeine-Free Coffee Alternatives

Enjoying a deliciously brewed cup of coffee (or several) is a daily pleasure for many people, but some simply can’t tolerate coffee. If jittery after consuming it, it upsets your stomach, or you simply want to cut back on your coffee intake, there are plenty of caffeine-free (and low-caffeine) alternatives, points out Dr. Jeffrey Bland.  He is a biochemist and nutritional medicine specialist based in Seattle. He suggests looking for an alternative that’s lower in caffeine but still contains theobromine. “It’s milder and provides a sustained boost in metabolism,” Bland says. You can find theobromine in most teas and green coffee beans. Ahead, some delicious coffee alternatives to consider for your morning wake-up routine.

Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is a South American tea that’s made by steeping the leaves and twigs of an indigenous plant. It has a distinctive taste that is “strong, bitter, and vegetal.”

Cacao

Speaking of theobromine, it also happens to be in brewed cacao. While it won’t taste like a cup of hot chocolate, brewed cacao is packed with antioxidants, magnesium, and phenylethylamine. Unlike caffeine, theobromine expands your blood vessels rather than constricting them and the energy boost it provides lasts longer.

Herbal “Coffee”

Zoey Gong, co-founder of Five Seasons TCM, gets her energy from Better Than Coffee Tonic, a drink she developed using an assortment of Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs.

“These herbs tonify Qi and blood and have a refreshing, aromatic flavor to wake you up while giving you energy in a gentle yet long lasting way,” she says. Ingredients include American ginseng, goji berries, mint, and du zhong. To make it, steep a bag with two to three cups of water for 10 minutes and drink it hot or iced.

RASA is another adaptogenic coffee alternative that gets its boost from herbs. Some of their bestselling drinks include Bold, a blend of nine adaptogenic herbs, and Original, a rich, roasty blend. If you want to try a few flavors before committing to a full bag, they sell sample packs of their entire collection as well as bestsellers.

Chicory Root

When roasted, chicory root takes on a coffee-like aroma and has a strong taste that’s toasty and nutty. It’s like a smoother, less acidic version of coffee that for many is easier on the taste buds and tummy. It’s a key ingredient in Teeccino as it adds body and a deep, rich color to their herbal tea blends.  In addition, it’s featured in their herbal coffee blends in flavors like Caramel Nut and Coconut.

Mushrooms

If you’re not ready to give up caffeine completely, there are companies making mushroom coffee blends for a more balanced drink that won’t give you the jitters.

Four Sigmatic’s Ground Mushroom Coffee with Lion’s Mane, for example, combines coffee, lion’s mane, and chaga to create a smooth, dark brew that is meant to prevent mid-morning crashing.

MUDWTR, another mushroom blend that’s made with masala chai, cacao, turmeric, cinnamon, sea salt, and mushrooms (lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps), has one-seventh the amount of caffeine as a traditional cup of coffee (about 100 milligrams of caffeine), and is meant to energize those who consume it without the jitters, crash, or dependency. Their Morning Ritual Starter Kit contains a 30-serving tin of product, a frother, guidebook, creamer sample, and sweetener sample.

Article by Abigail Abesamis Demarest for Martha Stewart Living©

Photo:  © Provided by Martha Stewart Living

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