Iced coffee is a refreshing drink made from chilled coffee and additional ingredients. There are a great many recipes for it, but there are only two fundamental methods for preparing iced coffee, on the basis of which all the other countless variations are then prepared. Learn to prepare the base, and all cold coffee delights will be within your grasp. What is real cold coffee, how to prepare it correctly and what effect does it have on our well-being and health?
What is iced coffee called?
The arrival of summer, even in our harsh climate, increases interest in soft drinks. Coffee gourmets have long invented their own ways to enjoy their favorite drink even in the most hellish heat. There are many recipes for iced coffee, but there are several basic ones that formed the basis of folk art. That's why cold coffee is called differently depending on the recipe and method of preparation.
- Caffe frappe is a drink made from chilled coffee, ice and milk with ice cream. The same recipe can be prepared with instant coffee, cold water, milk and sugar. The peculiarity of preparation is whipping in a shaker or blender.
- Ice coffee is coffee made from natural beans according to a traditional recipe and served with ice. Other ingredients are usually added to it, including ice cream, syrups, various toppings and spices.
- Cold brew is coffee prepared by cold infusion. Once prepared, it can be used in cocktails, dessert drinks and other recipes calling for iced coffee.
Two basic recipes for real iced coffee
There are two basic recipes for making iced coffee.
- The first is when coffee is prepared in the usual, traditional way, on a stove or in a coffee maker, and then the finished drink is cooled to the desired temperature and mixed with other ingredients. This is how iced coffee, ice cream, natural coffee frappe and other recipes are prepared.
- The second is coffee prepared with cold water. It is not subjected to heat treatment at all during the cooking process. This is how frappe is prepared from instant coffee, and cold brew from natural coffee, which came into fashion several years ago and continues to gain popularity.
Advantages
The effects of iced coffee are the same as hot coffee, but in the summer you can cool down and refresh yourself with iced coffee. You can drink iced coffee in a bottle or cup longer while sitting in the shade. If someone thinks that it is not tasty, then you just need to cook it and try it. To make it more interesting, you can describe several advantages:
There is as much caffeine in a cocktail as in a cup of espresso, so the energy potential is the same. In the summer, people get tired faster due to high temperatures, and they don’t want to drink hot things, so you can invigorate yourself with cold iced coffee in 15 minutes - it is after this time that caffeine enters the bloodstream, then into the brain.
You can prepare iced coffee at home as a refreshing drink in just 5 minutes.
Homemade iced coffee is much healthier than sugary sodas. The fact is that caffeine controls the production of insulin, so blood sugar will always be normal.
The calorie content in iced coffee depends only on the additives - syrups, ice cream, cream, milk, sugar. The grains themselves have virtually no calories.
You can prepare various nutritious desserts using additives.
The strength can be increased by the number of beans to enhance the stimulating effect of caffeine.
Video: Coffee cocktail
What happens to caffeine when cold brewing?
There are several ways to make iced coffee drinks. The first is to brew espresso in a coffee machine, cool it and dilute it with ice and cold milk. The second is to infuse the grains without cooking. The advantage of the first method is that it can be done faster. The advantages of the second are worth talking about separately:
When the beans are infused, all the caffeine goes into the water, so one serving of the drink can contain a daily dose of energy drink.
Chlorogenic acid, which has a harmful effect on the digestive tract, does not pass into the liquid. Its extraction requires high temperatures. For people with gastrointestinal problems, it is better not to boil grains, but to infuse them. There are special devices for this.
Iced coffee can be prepared outdoors, where there is no coffee maker or kettle. This will require at least 4 hours for the grains to release their aroma and taste.
Iced coffee at home can be made according to recipes that are practiced in different countries, including exotic ones - Thailand, Vietnam, India.
Cold Iced Coffee: Recipe
How to make real iced coffee? You will need a portion of ready-made natural coffee, cooled to room temperature, with a volume of approximately 50-70 ml - espresso or oriental coffee, in a cezve. You need ice, 3-5 cubes, 2 teaspoons of any syrup.
Crushed ice is placed at the bottom of the cup, syrup is poured in, followed by coffee, and topped with whipped cream.
The same recipe can be prepared with the addition of cold milk or cream, which will require approximately half the volume of coffee. They are added to the glass after the coffee, last.
If you are making an oriental coffee-based iced coffee, be sure to strain the drink before pouring it into the cup. For experimenters, we recommend preparing this recipe with coconut milk.
Originally from Thailand
The first thing that the early name of Thailand is associated with is Siam, a breed of cat whose special color can be described as “coffee au lait.”
Similar colors have found a place in modern Thai cuisine. Its best example is olyeng, or local iced coffee. The ingredients of this cocktail do not mix, which makes it possible to evaluate the specifics of its “color”.
- Prepare 800 ml of strong coffee in a convenient way. Cool gently.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cream: in a separate container, mix 2 cups with 2 tsp. chopped cardamom and 3 tbsp. Sahara. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and turn off the heat. Let it brew for a quarter of an hour under the lid. After the time has passed, add ¼ tsp to the mixture. ground almonds.
- Now let’s form the layers: fill 4 glasses with small ice cubes, then add a little condensed milk, creamy nut mixture to each and carefully pour the cooled drink on top. Avoid mixing layers.
Cocktail glasses with a “Siamese character” should be very transparent.
Cold coffee with ice cream: recipe
The recipe for coffee with ice cream is similar in preparation to iced coffee. You will need chilled natural coffee, a scoop of ice cream, and you can add syrup. Place ice cream at the bottom of the cup, pour syrup over it, and add coffee. This recipe is sometimes prepared with crushed ice. Then ice is first put into the cup, then ice cream, then syrup and coffee.
If you want to use sweet coffee, add sugar to it immediately after preparation, since sugar will take a very long time to dissolve in a cold drink.
Origin story
This unique drink was first introduced in 1957 in Greece, where it gained extraordinary popularity. Iced coffee has a double name: Frappe and Frappuccino, although they both have virtually the same composition.
Frappe was liked by residents of southern Europe and instantly gained popularity, especially in summer cafes near city beaches. By the way, it is generally accepted that frappe is a Greek drink.
Frappuccino is of South American origin. For the first time, it began to be produced in bars back in 1994 in Massachusetts, where the drink received stunning success. Americans, by the way, eat it not only in the summer, but also in sub-zero temperatures outside.
Coffee frappe: recipe
There are two main recipes for coffee frappe, for natural and instant coffee.
- Natural coffee frappe. You will need a portion of chilled espresso or oriental coffee, about 70-80 ml, the same amount of milk, 2 tbsp. spoons of finely chopped ice, 2 tbsp. spoons of ice cream, 1 teaspoon of nuts. Place all ingredients in a blender and beat at high speed.
- Instant coffee frappe. 2 teaspoons instant coffee, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2-3 tablespoons cold water. Place all this in a blender and beat until foam forms. Then add 5-6 crushed ice cubes and beat again until a thick foamy mass forms. Pour it into a glass and add milk, ice cream or syrup to taste.
Based on the basic recipes, coffee frappe is made into many variations, adding different types of ice cream, spices, nuts, and decorating with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Cold Brew Iced Coffee: Recipe
The popularity of the cold brew recipe is so great that the largest manufacturers of coffee equipment create real stations for its preparation. In such units, cold brew is prepared literally in buckets. There are cold brewing systems for home use, they are much smaller in volume.
You don't need to buy expensive equipment to get to know cold brew coffee. You can use a regular French press.
How to cook?
Pour medium-ground coffee with good quality cold water - bottled or filtered, but not from the tap. Without lowering the press, leave to infuse overnight. In the morning, squeeze out the grounds using a press. The simplest cold brew is ready.
It can be mixed with other ingredients, used to make coffee with ice cream, over ice and in a variety of cocktails. Or drink as a stand-alone drink.
Properties of cold coffee
Does iced coffee differ from traditional coffee in its properties and characteristics?
- Calorie content. The more milk, sugar and ice cream in a recipe, the higher its calorie content. As for the basic nutritional value, for both cold and hot coffee without sugar and other additives it is 2 kcal per 100 ml of drink.
- Caffeine content. Depends on how the coffee is prepared. 100 ml of chilled espresso contains from 90 to 180 mg of caffeine. Oriental coffee contains from 80 to 150 mg. Cold brew contains from 150 mg of caffeine per 100 ml, it is much stronger than traditional recipes.
As for quenching your thirst, coffee cocktails will definitely not help you with this. Recipes high in sugar only make you thirstier.
New for the season
Those who like to accompany friendly conversations with original desserts will really like this “cold” new product from McDonald’s.
Their recipe for relief from the heat is based on a mixture of Arabica and Robusta (80% and 20%, respectively), water, food ice, and vanilla syrup. The delicate, subtle bouquet and pronounced sweetness of the latter well masks the bitterness that the presence of robusta gives to the drink.
The chain’s new product is loved not only by those with a sweet tooth, but also by all coffee fans who want to escape the summer heat.
The benefits and harms of iced coffee
How does cold coffee affect our well-being?
The benefits of iced coffee
- Invigorates a tired body due to its caffeine content. Cold brew copes with this especially successfully due to its high energy potential.
- Helps you cool down on a hot day.
- Frappe or coffee with ice cream will become a pleasant and even healthy snack or afternoon snack due to its nutritional value and high milk content.
Additional advantages of coffee - rapid fluid removal, activation of thought processes, increased muscle endurance - are valid only for cold coffee without any additional ingredients. Milk, ice cream and sweet syrups reduce the potential effects of coffee on our body.
Cons of iced coffee
- High calorie content with added sugar, ice cream and milk.
- Doesn't quench your thirst.
- Too low a temperature of the finished drink can increase the destruction of tooth enamel. Let us emphasize: it will not cause, but will intensify, that is, if there is a crack, it may increase. If your teeth are in perfect order, then a portion of coffee, even with a lot of ice, will not pose any threat.
- Cold brew has a high strength, so its safe consumption is no more than two servings per day for a relatively healthy person.
There may be mold in the ice machine
Ice makers are rarely cleaned. /Photo: ostrnum.com
There is a common misconception that bacteria and mold cannot grow and spread in ice machines because the units are kept at extremely low temperatures. However, this misconception makes the technique especially dangerous for consumers who are not even aware of the possible consequences of consuming ice.
Ice makers are often very rarely cleaned and even less often cleaned properly, so inside they may have a coating of black mold, microbes, grease, or yellow formations from poor-quality water. It is believed that the most dangerous place on this machine is the cavity near the gutter. This is where the ice comes out and ends up in the drink, meaning every fresh juice or cocktail served could be contaminated by the ice that's passed through the moldy machine. Mold and bacteria can cause serious illness.
Iced Coffee Cocktail Recipes
We have collected several interesting recipes that will help you shine at a party, impress your family or friends, or simply pamper yourself on a hot summer day.
- Chocolate frappe with mint . Brew coffee, dissolve 20 g of chocolate in a hot drink. Cool. Beat in a blender with 2 tbsp. spoons of ice cream and crushed ice. Pour into a glass, add 1 teaspoon of mint syrup and 30-40 ml of cream. Garnish with mint leaves.
- Coffee smoothie . Blend 1 cup iced coffee and 1 cup unsweetened low-fat yogurt with 1 banana and 1 teaspoon cocoa powder in a blender. Pour the finished drink into glasses. You can add chocolate or banana syrup if desired.
- Caramel coffee . 2 tbsp. Mix spoons of caramel syrup, 1 scoop of ice cream and a portion of coffee in a blender until a homogeneous and thick mixture is formed. Pour into a glass and garnish with whipped cream and fresh berries.
- Cold coffee "Oriental aroma" . Heat 100 ml of coconut milk until almost boiling, add cinnamon and vanilla. Cool. Blend the pulp of 1 juicy peach in a blender. Pour 100 ml of ready-made chilled coffee into a glass, add the mixture from the blender, garnish with grated almonds. You can add 1 teaspoon of syrup - caramel, peach or cream.
- Ice coffee “Thai Blues” (the given recipe is for 4-5 servings). You will need 2-3 glasses of cold coffee, cream, spices, condensed milk, cubed ice. Mix 200 ml of cream with 200 ml of condensed milk, heat almost to a boil, add 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom and a few vanilla seeds from the pod. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then cool. Fill the glasses 2/3 full with ice, pour the spiced cream into the glasses, then add cold coffee.
Do you like iced coffee?
Orange freshness
- Brew 4 glasses of coffee at your usual concentration. Cool at room temperature and put in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, peel 2 oranges and squeeze out the juice.
- Grind the orange peels and place them in a saucepan. Pour a glass of water and add a little less than a glass of sugar. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool the syrup after removing pieces of zest from it.
- Mix iced coffee with orange juice and syrup.
- Pour into tall glasses and top with crushed ice.
- Garnish citrus iced coffee with an orange slice and a swirl of whipped cream.
