Syrups in coffee: which one to choose and how much to add. Barista advises

What is the difference between coffee syrup and toppings?

Toppings are additives and decorations for dishes.

They can be like:

• syrups;
• chocolate crumbs;
• multi-colored crumbs;
• waffle toppings;
• chopped nuts.

Classic syrups include solutions with granulated sugar and water or fruit juices. The usual factory concentration with granulated sugar is from 600 to 800 g per 1 liter of finished products. They also contain additives in the form of flavor enhancers and coloring agents.

Syrup additives can be toppings. But the latter cannot always be syrup fillers.

Popular recipes

Recipes for making coffee with sweet additives are varied. Here, every barista has his own secrets and preferences. It is traditionally believed that one teaspoon of thick syrup is enough for a standard coffee cup, and no more than two if the drink is diluted with milk or cream.

As for the most popular recipes, classic chocolate coffee is prepared like this:

• a portion of a strong Turkish drink is brewed; • milk is heated separately (half the volume of the base); • the components are mixed and supplemented with 4 teaspoons of chocolate syrup; • a small portion of vanilla ice cream is placed on top.

Caramel latte is prepared like this:

• a standard portion of espresso is brewed; • milk (half the volume of espresso) is whipped until foamy; • 2-3 tablespoons of syrup are poured into the bottom of the mug; • half of the frothed milk is poured in; • the base is poured; • the rest of the frothed milk is poured out; • all this is sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Drinks with other types of sweet additives are prepared in a similar way. The most important thing here is to make the right coffee, and a good syrup will do its job.

The best coffee syrups

Hazelnut syrup for coffee

To prevent sweet cocktails from being cloying and to enhance the coffee notes, use nut syrups.

Natural espresso highlights the nutty aftertaste.

Nutty aromas are combined with coffee beans in blends or with pure Arabica. With an accent of fruity sours that are typical for this type of coffee.

The following drink is prepared:

1. With ice (pieces).
2. Espresso.
3. Syrup.

Ratio: 50 ml coffee: 1 tbsp. l syrup.

Convenient to cook in a shaker.

Or just mix everything up and drink it cold.

Caramel syrups

They are tender and creamy. Add to coffee with milk additives, cappuccino, espresso, and to coffee drinks with fruit juices.

• Brew espresso or oriental 50 ml.
• Add 2 tsp. caramel syrup, along with orange juice squeezed from 1 citrus.
• Hot croissants or muffins go well with the drink.

Vanilla syrup for coffee

This is for those with a sweet tooth. With a delicate, subtle bouquet and pronounced sweetness. The coffee ceases to be very bitter, but remains with the same coffee taste. These toppings are good for coffee with milk and ice cream.

• Brew Turkish coffee 160 ml.
• Fill tall glasses or cups with 4 tbsp. l. in 1 container, cold milk and syrup.
• Carefully pour in the coffee.
• Important! Drink with straws.

Difference between syrup and topping

Syrup is a sweet concentrate that consists of sugar, water and flavoring ingredients - fruits or spices. According to one version, the name comes from the Arabic word “sharab”, which means drink. During the Crusades in the Middle East, knights adopted the Arab habit of drinking heavily sweetened drinks, and the name was transformed into “syrup.” The first descriptions of the technology for making syrups appeared in The Bartender's Book by Jerry Thomas, published in New York in 1862.

The start of mass production of sweet concentrates occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. At first, the syrup was used to decorate cappuccino and lattes. Over time, it was noticed that flavoring additives reduced the bitterness and acidity of the drink, and syrups began to be added to espresso. The practice of making coffee with syrup has spread to Europe and America, and in recent decades has gained popularity in Russia.

The word topping came into Russian from English, where it means top or upper part. The additive is distinguished from syrups by its rich taste and thicker consistency. These sauces do not mix with the drink, but are held on the surface, forming beautiful patterns.

Syrups and toppings change not only the taste, but also the color of the drink

Coffee topping is used as a garnish, often combined with whipped cream. The advantage of the product is that giving an aesthetic appearance to the drink does not require special skills. The range of basic flavors for syrups and toppings is almost the same, with the difference that in the case of sauces the buyer has less choice.

Manufacturers of syrups

Supermarket shelves with various syrups. For every taste and any manufacturer. The leaders are the French.

• The French company Monin is already celebrating its centenary. The range of products is great. There are many varieties of syrups here. In addition to those we described above, the manufacturer offers syrups with taste sensations that are provided by famous liqueurs, tropical fruits, and coconut milk. All this variety is provided to customers in liter bottles, with a cost of 390 - 750 rubles.
• The French company Teisseire began its activities back in the 18th century. The assortment is wide. You can buy regular berry ones or try complex bouquets of banana muffins or vanilla chestnuts. Packaging varies, ranging from 250 ml (from 180 to 200 rubles) and up to 1 liter (from 540 rubles).
• Original packaging with sizes of 470 ml and ending with one cup serving with toppings is presented by the USA, Delight company. They are low in calories - 27 kcal/100 ml.
• The French manufacturer Giffard produces thick, viscous, fruit-type toppings with a high concentration of sugar. And also vanilla, nut, chocolate, but there are fewer of them. In total, about 60 items in liter glass packages, with prices starting from 600 rubles.

Important! Blackcurrant and strong espresso will delight you with an unusually bright and fresh taste.

Types of syrups

Nowadays they offer a huge number of toppings that differ in taste. It is impossible to say which one is the best, because each person distinguishes a certain taste at his own discretion. Here are the main tastes:

• Berry. The rich taste of berries that are associated with summer or grandma's house.
• Fruity. With fresh fruity notes great for every day.
• With the taste of desserts. An unusual combination that women really like. You can choose tiramisu or cheesecake.
• Nut. The noble shade of nuts is also perfect for complementing a coffee drink.
• Spicy. Based on seasonings or spices, they are liked by both men and women.

Proportions

No one regulates the addition of toppings. Rely on your own preferences. In the classic ratio this is 100 ml. coffee: 2 tbsp or 2 tsp. topping.

If you like sweets, increase the amount of supplement.

For cocktail drinks or those with a complex composition that contain dairy products, ice, etc., add 6 tsp to 200 ml of espresso and 100 ml of dairy product. topping.

Method of use

Syrups go well with both hot espresso and cold coffee cocktails. There will be different ways of adding: maintaining layers, mixing and whipping.

How much syrup to add to coffee is up to everyone to decide for themselves, depending on their preferences. On average, per 50 ml of drink (the total volume includes espresso, milk and ice) add 1 teaspoon of liquid topping (5 ml). In this case, sugar is no longer needed. Those with a sweet tooth may want to add a little more.

With hot coffee

The espresso is stirred or even shaken with syrup and then milk is added.

If you are preparing a multi-layer cocktail, such as a latte macchiato, then the topping is poured into the glass first, and then milk and coffee are added. In this case, the glass needs to be tall and transparent so that the serving is beautiful.

Cold cocktails

If you shake ready-made espresso, milk, syrup and ice in a shaker, you get an excellent refreshing drink. This coffee cocktail is usually drunk through a straw.

Types and variety of syrups

Various ingredients have been added to coffee and tea since the 18th century in America. It was here that the first coffee shops opened, serving hot drinks with different flavors. The range of such supplements has gradually grown, and today on the market you can find the most exotic combinations of products in one bottle.

Coffee syrups are sweet, aromatic additives that are designed to enhance, highlight or improve the taste of a drink, both hot and cold. If syrup is added to coffee, sugar is no longer added to it. All syrups available on the market can be divided into the following types:

• berry and berry-fruit;
• spicy;
• with nut flavor;
• with the taste of desserts.

You can add an item about vegetable tastes to this list, although their variety is still small. Syrups are prepared with sugar or sugar substitutes. If sugar was used, the product will be more expensive; if a substitute is used, it will be cheaper, but safer for some categories of people, for example, those with diabetes.

Syrup in coffee can enhance its sourness, smooth out the bitterness, and emphasize the nutty or chocolate flavor.

Below is a description of the best and most popular coffee additives that are loved all over the world.

Caramel syrup is suitable for coffee with pronounced bitterness and strength. It is often combined with milk or cream. It enhances the taste of the milk component and has a light taste and aroma. Ideal for espresso, lattes and cold coffee cocktails.

Vanilla is a classic of the genre. It suits both sour Arabica and bitter Robusta. In the first case, it makes the sourness invisible, in the second, it removes excess bitterness. The syrup has a light and pleasant sweetish taste and goes well with cream and ice cream.

Walnut is the most favorite of all. This is a variety that includes flavors such as hazelnut, almond and even hazelnut. It is unique in that it enhances the nutty aftertaste that is characteristic of some types of Arabica. It is spicy, sweet, sour and fruity at the same time. Best for strong espresso.

Chocolate syrup and coffee is a combination that has not yet been invented better. These two products combine harmoniously with each other, enhance each other’s attractiveness, and are perfect in addition to ice cream, cognac and other alcoholic drinks.

They drink coffee with maple syrup in the morning. It has a light and unusual woody aroma. This product is added not only to drinks and cocktails. It is suitable for meat and fish, which makes it so versatile. Make coffee with mint syrup in the afternoon to slightly invigorate and refresh.

How to properly add syrup to coffee

The fact is that syrups have a sickly sweet (downright sugary) taste - you need to remember this. You should not pour them too much - the resulting mixture will be difficult to drink even for those with a true sweet tooth. The proportion depends on the type of coffee drink. The following numbers are not mandatory, however, they are worth focusing on:

• for a standard (about 30 ml) cup of espresso – 1 teaspoon of syrup;
• for cappuccino, latte, lungo and other types of coffee with milk, which are served in large cups - from 2 to 5 teaspoons. You don’t need to add it all at once, but spoon by spoon, constantly trying - this way you will be able to find the optimal dose;
• for iced coffee or iced latte, which are served cold - 4-5 teaspoons;
• per glass of coffee cocktail, the volume of which is 250-300 ml, 5-6 teaspoons of sweet additive.

Many coffee lovers add syrup to add flavor.

The type of syrup must also be taken into account. Some of them have the property of curdling when added to milk or other liquids that are at high temperature. Therefore, they cannot be used in combination with coffee at all.

What topping makes coffee taste better?

It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. Some people like the flavor of coconut, others like berries. But gourmets know that certain toppings pair better with specific coffee drinks.

• mint syrup is perfect for classic espresso and latte;
• To prepare an instant product, you can use any sweetener: nut, caramel, vanilla. But according to those with a sweet tooth, the “drink for the lazy” goes best with chocolate syrup;
• to enrich the taste of the latte, it is recommended to use a nut or cinnamon product;
• chocolate topping will help improve the taste of moccacino. You also can't go wrong with some pistachio or maple sweetness;
• A berry sweetener will help highlight the exquisite aroma of frappe.

Adding these ingredients will give you great pleasure in every sip of coffee.

The best flavor combinations

The most popular flavor combinations are:

• amaretto. What syrups are most often added to coffee? First of all, this is it, as well as similar options. From year to year, amaretto holds the palm. The taste combines slightly overripe apricot, bitterness of almonds and incredible sweetness, like honey. This is why amaretto syrup for coffee is incredibly popular around the world;
• coconut. Another very common taste. Even if you add this syrup to very strong coffee, you can easily add tenderness to the drink, a drop of tropical sun and subtle notes of the sea breeze;
• caramel. This option can be considered universal. It can be added not only to coffee, but also to other drinks, such as tea, as well as cocktails (with or without alcohol). Caramel syrup has a delicate, rich taste and gently removes the harshness of other components;
• vanilla. Considered a true classic. It has a pronounced bitterness, as well as an amazing spicy-fragrant and sweetish taste;
• almond. This syrup has a very unusual and even specific taste—bitter-sweet. It won't suit everyone. Almond syrup is considered elegant and even aristocratic. Its bouquet amazingly combines roasted almonds and cane sugar, to which the product owes its special aroma;
• nut. If you don’t like almonds, then nuts should be just right – they are diametrically opposed. Rather rounded and calm, but not sharp and sharp. It also contains fruits, so this syrup is liked not only by adults, but also by children;
• maple. It was invented in the USA, but gradually reached our shores, finding more and more fans. It has a taste of tree resin - sweet and at the same time, as if on the sidelines. Pairs especially well with espresso, macchiato and cappuccino;
• ginger. Appeared quite recently. The taste is not cloyingly sweet; ginger adds reasonable astringency to the bouquet. This is a kind of “golden mean”.

When adding syrup, the dosage must be observed

Spiced coffee with chocolate sweetener

There is nothing better than treating yourself to a delicious sweet drink when you are at home after a hard day at work.

It is recommended to use a cinnamon stick, cloves or star anise as a spice. Each of them goes well with coffee.

Before placing the Turk, at the bottom of which there are ground coffee beans filled with water, add spices to it. As the drink boils, they will share their aromatic and taste qualities with it. At the last stage, add chocolate syrup.

Features of choosing coffee syrup

Before you start looking for coffee syrup, it is advisable to figure out what to buy. And this depends on the result that you would like to get in the end. The drink is added in order to obtain a new, original taste combination, to emphasize the original coffee bitterness or, conversely, to minimize it. It also matters what kind of coffee you are going to dilute. For example:

• To soften a strongly brewed drink, it is better to add a little caramel or vanilla concentrate to it. • If you want to get a weak mix, experiment with fruit and berry compositions. • If you like the characteristic sourness of some types of coffee beans, you can emphasize it with Irish cream syrup. • But you can enhance the bitterness, make it more pleasant and refined, by adding a few drops of almond, chocolate or cinnamon ingredient.

These are basic recommendations developed by baristas and bartenders that allow you to get results without spending a lot of time and ingredients on experiments. Of course, each person has their own taste preferences, so it is possible that you can create your own recipes that suit you.

If, based on the previous recommendations, you have decided what type of syrup you need to create your own coffee cocktails, it’s time to think about which brand of products is best to choose. This is also a difficult question, since the products of dozens of manufacturers from all over the world are represented in Russia, from the famous Monin brand to the Russian BarLine brand. You can find options in different price categories, high-quality, decent and frankly unsuccessful products.

As a rule, experts recommend buying drinks from well-known manufacturers with a good reputation. This is a guarantee that you will receive a quality product that has the taste indicated on the label. But now it is no longer necessary to look for expensive imported goods, because the same BarLine syrups are presented in a wide range and are known not only in the Russian Federation, but are also in ever-growing demand abroad.

Due to the localization of production in Russia, they are sold at affordable prices. introducing an excessive amount of artificial additives into the composition, distorting the taste and making the drink much less healthy, as often happens with products of other brands. In other words, it's inexpensive, tasty, and predictable in the context that you get what the label claims and graphics promise.

Correct proportions for syrup

The taste of coffee primarily depends on the number of components included in its composition. If you decide to sweeten it with topping, you need to know how not to spoil the impression of the drink.

The more coffee syrup you add, the sweeter the cocktail will be. There are “golden” proportional standards that are recommended to be followed:

It is very easy to maintain these proportions, because the aromatic product is added to an already prepared drink. If you find its taste not sweet enough, we recommend adding granulated sugar instead of topping.

Using a large amount of this additive reduces the sourness of Arabica and makes the coffee taste less pronounced.

How to make cappuccino with syrup

Caramel sweetener is ideal for cappuccino. To brew this drink, you need to take the same amount of coffee and milk composition.

Brew strong espresso by adding hot milk, sugar and sweet syrup. Beat with a mixer until fluffy foam is obtained.

Cappuccino is drunk in a glass cocktail glass with a thick wall. We advise you to complement the composition with grated chocolate sprinkled on top. Also, don't forget to add a cinnamon stick to your drink.

Where to buy syrup

The easiest option is to look for the best coffee syrups in a large hypermarket. However, the choice there is usually small. But there will probably be several bottles - and you can buy some of them to try. But you definitely shouldn’t expect professional brands.

It is worth paying attention to specialized online stores. There you can buy vanilla syrup for coffee (or any other) from various manufacturers (domestic and imported), at very interesting prices.

Vanilla drink

When brewed, Arabica beans give off sourness. To hide it, it is recommended to add a sweet syrup, such as vanilla.

A drink based on this topping goes well with ice cream. You can also use ice cream as an ingredient.

So, in addition to coffee beans, ice cream and vanilla syrup, you will need milk.

To brew the right coffee, you need to grind the roasted beans in a coffee grinder to a powder state, mix them with water and put them in a Turk on the stove.

You should observe the process of the rise and fall of lush foam three times. After this, mix the coffee with the topping, granulated sugar (optional), ice cream and milk.