Heat Wave? Iced Americano Please!

With temps in the 100's up and down the country, a steamy cup of coffee might not be perfect for you. I have to say that a few shots over ice make a delicious treat any hot day. Iced Americanos are simple to make and have a great taste of espresso, that I am sure you'll love. I have them with and without milk depending on my mood and the time of day. I always like a little bit of sugar in them.

Ingredients:

• Shot of your favorite espresso
• 8-10 ounce glass full of ice cubes
• Ice water (optional)
• Sugar to taste
• Milk or half and half to taste
• Whipped Cream & Chocolate Shavings (Definitely indulgent and optional)

Pull your shot, and pour it slowly over the ice while swirling. The full glass of ice should chill the espresso quickly. Fill the glass with cold water (Optional) and stir in sugar (optional). Add a splash of milk or half and half as desired. Sit back and relax..... Sometimes leave the water out and hit it with a splash of milk or half and half to give it a potent and velvety feel. The melted ice if often enough to dilute the espresso just enough to enjoy as a light drink.

I always use 100% Arabica beans in mine, because while I like Robusta espresso when drinking it hot, too much Robusta flavor when cold just tastes like burnt rubber to me..... stick to the Arabica.

I use the Bodum Pavina Double Wall Glasses (Shown Above) for my Iced Coffee Drinks in the Summertime.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe - Make This Fun Fall Recipe at Home

So it's Fall, and a lot of people are going nuts over the Pumpkin Spice coffees, lattes and espressos out there; Yes, I like to indulge every now and then too. It's not hard to make these at home if you have the right syrups. Enjoy the cooler weather and the pumpkin spice; soon it will be time for a Eggnog Latte right around the corner.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients:
1 oz. (2 Tbsp.) Torani Pumpkin Spice syrup
8 oz. (1 cup) milk
1-2 shots (1/4 cup espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee) espresso

Dash of Pumpkin Spice or Nutmeg

Instructions with an Espresso machine:

Add Milk and Torani Syrup together and froth/steam on your espresso machine. Steam together Torani and milk. Pour steamed flavored milk to about 1/2 inch below the top of a 16-oz. glass. Add espresso and top with a thin layer of foamed milk. Dust with Pumpkin Spice or Nutmeg on top.

Making it without an espresso steamer: Use an Aerolatte Milk Frother , or simple Manual Glass Milk Frother to foam the milk and syrup then add to the espresso.

Italian Espresso Granita - It's Summertime!

If you aren't getting the Handpresso newsletter you should, they are sending out some information about the Handpresso WILD, including the new Handpresso WILD Domepod; the handpump espresso machine that let's you use your own ground espresso.
This recipe is adapted from the Handpresso recipe for a great sounding Italian Granita, espresso style.
A true Italian espresso granita 4 servings Ingredients :

• 6 T granulated sugar
• 4 C freshly brewed strong espresso
• 1T cocoa powder
• 1/3 C cold water
• 1/3 C whipped cream

Directions : 1. In a pan, mix granulated sugar with cocoa powder and add cold water progressively. 2. Mix with a wooden spoon to get a smooth mixture. 3. Bring to a boil still whisking until the sugar is dissolved completely. Bring the temperature down and warm up during 2 minutes. 4. Remove from the heat and add the freshly brewed espresso gradually. Then pour the mixture in a dish and let it cool down a few minutes. 5. Cover with a film and place in the freezer 1 hour 30 min while scraping the mixture from time to time with a fork to create the granita texture. 6. Place the mixture back in the freezer for 2 hours. 7. Pour the espresso granita in 4 small dessert bowls, spread a layer of whipped cream. Serve immediately.
From the folks at HandPresso

Making Iced Espresso with ESE Pods

The weather up here in Boston finally cracked into the hot zone this past weekend, and it was time to brew up some Iced Armicanos. They are simple to make and have a great taste of espresso, that I am sure you'll love. It's simple and worth a try. I have them with and without milk depending on my mood and the time of day. I always like a little bit of sugar in them.

Ingredients:

• Shot of your favorite espresso - I use either a local roast or an ESE pod
  
• 8-10 ounce glass full of ice cubes
  
• Ice water
  
• Sugar to taste
  
• Milk or half and half to taste

Pull your shot, and pour it slowly over the ice while swirling. The full glass of ice should chill the espresso quickly. Fill the glass with cold water and stir in sugar (optional). Add a splash of milk or half and half as desired. Sit back and relax.....

You may want to play with the amount of espresso, sometimes I find a double shot into a 12 ounce glass of ice and then follow the general directions above is a bit more appealing, and a bit more of a punch too.

I prefer getting an Arabica only blend and usually use an ESE pod for the summer brewing - they are easy to keep on hand and they suit my tastes for this. The southern Italian or Robusta or "Classic" blends typically have a reasonable amount of robusta coffee blended in that gives them a strong coffee base flavor especially in the finish. Ice it down, and my experience is that the flavors are more pronounced and bitter in the finish; something that I don't like. Check out Pod Merchant's 100% Arabica ESE Sampler for a great way to try out a few. That's how I found the Compagnia dell'Arabica Colombia which is what I like to brew. For the summer, the Bodum Pavina glasses are a great way to keep the iced coffee cool, and not have the glass sweat - I use the 2-ounce glasses for shots of espresso and the Bodum Pavnia 12 ounce Glasses for iced espresso.

Bodum Pavnia 12 ounce Glasses at Amazon

Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte Recipe

If you're enjoying the Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks, then you might enjoy a homemade version that tastes pretty good in a low calorie version. Easy to do, and not a bad low calorie indulgence either!

Ingredients:

Shot of Espresso

Dusting - 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 Cup of milk for steaming

Sugar/sweetener to taste

1 Pump of Da Vinci SUGAR FREE Caramel Syrup 750mL

Pull your shot of espresso and mix in the ground cinnamon, start small because it's easy to go overboard. Add Pump of Sugar Free Caramel syrup. Mix in sweetener if desired. Steam milk and top off to make your latte.

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Hot Weather - Cool Espresso; Iced Americanos

The hot weather is here in Boston these days, and after a late night staying up for the Celtics - Lakers game, it's time to wake up and cool off at the same time. These are a favorite of mine in the summer. I typically switch over to a 100% Arabica blend for iced espresso, because the clean finish in the flavor profile works better for me.

Ingredients:

Shot of your favorite espresso

8-10 ounce glass full of ice cubes

Ice water

Sugar to taste

Milk or half and half to taste

Pull your shot, and pour it slowly over the ice while swirling. The full glass of ice should chill the espresso quickly. Fill the glass with cold water and stir in sugar (optional). Add a splash of milk or half and half as desired. Sit back and relax..... then repeat as needed!

You may want to play with the amount of espresso, sometimes I find a double shot into a 12 ounce glass of ice and then follow the general directions above is a bit more appealing, and a bit more of a punch too.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day - Irish Coffee Anyone?

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and with that comes a whole lot of celebration around the world, or maybe just in a few select places like here in Boston, where we also know it as Evacuation Day; the day the Redcoats evacuated Boston under the watchful eye of George Washington.

We enjoyed a little warm Irish Coffee in front of the fire this past weekend, and hey maybe it's not too late to grab a little whiskey and enjoy some yourself.

Basic Irish Coffee
1 Shot Irish Whiskey
6-8 ounces of strong coffee
Cream, Milk to taste
Whipped Cream - That spray can stuff makes it easy!

In an Irish Coffee Glass combine sugar and irish whiskey and stir.
Add Coffee
Add Cream or milk and stir
Top with Whipped Cream

My preference is to substitute an Americano, Espresso mixed with Hot Water, for the coffee portion above.

Nutella Espresso Mocha Mash-up

I stumbled across this recipe this past weekend, and since I love both Nutella AND Espresso, I had to give it a try. Not bad. If it's cold, like around here in the wintertime, a quick, and I mean quick trip to the microwave means the tablespoon of Nutella melts a bit easier into the espresso. Do it before mixing into the Espresso. I found mixing the Nutella and Espresso in a large coffee mug then pouring in the milk made things (and clean-up) easier.

Nutella Mocha

1. Two - Three shots very hot espresso
2. One heaping teaspoon of Nutella
3. Half cup of low fat milk

Instructions:
Make fresh espresso. Stir in Nutella, smashing it against the sides of the cup to ensure it is mostly melted and dissolved into the coffee.

Add milk to mixture, stir and enjoy.

Via Arizona Coffee

Iced Americano Recipe

OK the hot weather is here and I am enjoying a few Iced Armicanos these days. They are simple to make and have a great taste of espresso, that I am sure you'll love. I have them with and without milk depending on my mood and the time of day. I always like a little bit of sugar in them.

Ingredients:

Shot of your favorite espresso

8-10 ounce glass full of ice cubes

Ice water

Sugar to taste

Milk or half and half to taste

Pull your shot, and pour it slowly over the ice while swirling. The full glass of ice should chill the espresso quickly. Fill the glass with cold water and stir in sugar (optional). Add a splash of milk or half and half as desired. Sit back and relax.....

You may want to play with the amount of espresso, sometimes I find a double shot into a 12 ounce glass of ice and then follow the general directions above is a bit more appealing, and a bit more of a punch too.

Scott Martin at Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Cinnamon Dolce Latte Recipe

If you're enjoying the Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks, then you might enjoy a homemade version that tastes pretty delicious. Easy to do, and not a bad low calorie indulgence either!

Ingredients:

Shot of Espresso

Dusting - 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 Cup of milk for steaming

Sugar to taste

Smuckers Caramel Sundae Syrup (Optional, but recommended)

Pull your shot of espresso and mix in the ground cinnamon, start small because it's easy to go overboard. Mix in sugar if desired. Steam milk and top off to make your latte. Drizzle the sundae syrup over the top of the latte in rapid circles. (If you just squeeze the thing, you'll shoot gobs of caramel syrup through the steamed milk, but quick circular patterns keeps the drizzled syrup on top of the foam.)

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Holiday Party? Break out the Espresso Martini

Come on we’ve all been at that party that is just a little bit dull and drinks that aren’t so exciting…. Cheap wine, boring beer. Try spicing things up with some espresso. Not just espresso, but espresso martinis. I’ve run a few of these through, and they are pretty good. I’ll give you a couple of variations.

Make the espresso right in front of the guests, so they get a kick out of the process. I like to use ESE Espresso pods when cycling through drink after drink, as it just makes things a little bit faster and easier.

Espresso Martini
1 oz espresso
1 1/2 oz Absolut vodka
1 1/2 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 oz white creme de cacao
Pour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into chilled martini glass. It should be somewhat frothy.

Espresso Martini Too
1 oz espresso
1 1/2 oz Absolut vodka
1 teaspoon of sugar

Pour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into chilled martini glass.

Top off with a couple of espresso beans as a garnish.

Peppermint Mocha Recipe

OK; we're not forgetting the other holiday drink that people crave this time of year, the Peppermint Mocha! You've had them maybe at Starbucks - the classic holiday tradition (can it be a classic tradition if it's only a few years old?) Enjoyed maybe with a mini candy cane on the side, this can warm up the cooler December days.

Peppermint Mocha Recipe
Ingredients:
1 oz. (2 Tbsp.) Torani Chocolate sauce
1/2 oz. (1 Tbsp.) Torani Peppermint syrup
8 oz. (1 cup) milk
1-2 shots espresso

Instructions:
Steam together Torani and milk. Pour into a 16-oz. glass and pour espresso over.

Strong Coffee can be substituted for the Espresso.

More at the Torani Website

Eggnog Latte Recipe

You either love them or hate them; Eggnog Lattes. In a few short years, Starbucks has created a following with their seasonal Eggnog lattes. Well you can learn how to make an eggnog latte at home and create a similar drink with some flavored syrups. Torani Syrups has all you need with Torani Eggnog Flavored Syrup. Hurry, Eggnog Latte season is a short one.

Don’t forget the Torani Pump!

Recipe after the jump.

Need help with Espresso Gift Ideas? Check out our Holiday Buying Guide – The Best Espresso Gifts

Continue reading: "Eggnog Latte Recipe"

Gingerbread Latte Recipe

So with Gingerbread Lattes showing up all over the place, I decided that it would be good to go and post a recipe for the rest of us to be able to make one. It's easy to learn how to make a Gingerbread Latte at home. You can whip it up with just one syrup on top of a latte.

Don’t forget the Torani Pump!

Gingerbread Latte Recipe

Ingredients:
1 oz. Torani Ginger Spice syrup
8 oz. milk
1-2 shots espresso*

Instructions:
Steam together Torani and milk. Pour steamed flavored milk to about 1/2 inch below the top of a 16-oz. glass. Add espresso and top with a thin layer of foamed milk.

Notes:
Garnish with powdered cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg.

*substitute 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee if desired.

More at Torani Website

Need help with Espresso Gift Ideas? Check out our Holiday Buying Guide – The Best Espresso Gifts