A smooth cold brew is a great way to start the day, in fact, the only way it could get better is if that cold brew was topped off with a whipped layer of cream for a tasty, foamy finish.
Gone are the days of waiting in endless lines and spending too much money on a half-melted drink. No more gambling with your morning coffee and wagering whether it will be made right that day because, with this recipe, you can be your own barista! Follow these helpful tips, including how to make Starbucks’s sweet cream from scratch, and soon you can be sipping on your caffeinated cup of bliss without ever having to leave the house!
There’s something about layered drinks that make them seem a lot more challenging to make than they are. Truthfully, both cold brew and cold foam are simple and easy to make and only require a few tools. For this drink, you’ll need some maple syrup, cold brew, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Before these ingredients can be combined to form a delicious addition to your morning routine, there are a few things that need to happen, so let’s break things down!
First up, cold brew. Despite its similar appearance, cold brew is not the same thing as iced coffee. They are prepared differently and are going to have very different flavors. While iced coffee would also be great topped with some sweet whipped cream cold foam, it’s not going to be nearly as full-bodied or smooth as cold brew.
We have actually covered how to make cold brew at home in our Energize Your Mornings with Gourmet Coffee at Home blog, which you can read for a more in depth look at the process, as well as how to make other types of coffee beverages, too. In the meantime, we will cover the highlights for the purpose of this recipe.
Grab a bag of your favorite coffee beans, we recommend trying our Mesa House Blend with notes of almond and cocoa, and grind them so that they are coarse. Fill a french press with the grounds (about 1- 1½ cups) and pour in about 3 cups of cold, filtered water. Letting the water and the coffee grounds marinate for long periods of time is what gives cold brew its boldness, so placing the french press in the fridge overnight, or about 24 hours, will give you smooth and flavorful results every time!
Next up is the cold foam. When it comes to making the perfect cold foam, there are a few things to keep in mind. Some milks will foam better than others, and typically, it’s those with higher fat contents. That is why heavy whipping cream is the preferred option for light and fluffy cold foam, but there are other options to reach for, as well. For non-dairy alternatives, oatmilk and almond milk can work, but they won’t have as good of results as dairy. This recipe calls for heavy cream, but if you’re looking for a sweeter option, that beloved sweet cream from Starbucks is easy to make, too!
To make the sweet cream, simply combine about 1 cup of vanilla syrup (not extract), 3 cups of 2% milk, and 1 ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream. It may sound like a lot, but this will give you plenty of sweet cream to store and use throughout the week! If you like a creamier coffee, pour it into your cold brew before topping with cold foam. You can also turn sweet cream into sweet cream cold foam and never have to pay for someone else to make your morning coffee ever again!
Once you’ve decided on what milk you are using for your cold foam, the next most important thing is to ensure that the milk is fresh and cold. Expired and room-temperature milk will not only refuse to foam into an appetizing consistency, but it will also likely taste pretty lackluster. Check the date on your milk and pull it straight from the fridge before frothing to prevent any coffee catastrophes.
Frothing the heavy cream (or whatever milk you’ve chosen) alone isn’t going to add much flavor to your cold brew. Adding some syrup, like with sweet cream, is what makes the cold foam so irresistible and sweet. For this recipe, we put a teaspoon of Wild Four Maple Syrup into a small glass, added about 3 Tablespoons of Publix’s heavy whipping cream, and sprinkled with Trader Joe’s Ground Cinnamon for a down-to-earth sweetness that’s too good to resist.
Using a milk frother, blend the ingredients to whip into a scrumptious foam. This should take about 30 seconds or so, and holding the cup at an angle while concentrating the tip of the frother just below the surface of the milk may help you get a more airy consistency. Generally speaking, though, the quality of your cold foam will mostly come down to the ingredients you use and practice. (If you’re looking to become a cold foam master, an old barista training trick is to practice your frothing skills with a little cold water and a drop or two of dish washing liquid).
Once the cold foam is officially cold and foamy, it’s time to pour up your cup of liquid gold! Pour your cold brew into a glass and fill with ice, leaving a few inches of space at the top. If you take cream in your coffee, lightly add the cream and watch it cascade down the ice cubes before topping the cold brew off with your delicious maple whipped cream cold foam. While you ruminate on the smooth blend of flavors and prepare for the day, don’t forget to scroll through our Instagram for other tasty recipes to try!
Smooth and sweet with a touch of maple, this cold brew is the perfect way to energize your day!
We hope you enjoyed this recipe for Maple Whipped Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew. If you tried it out, or any of the tips we shared, be sure to let us know! Connect with us on social media and check in with our weekly blog for updates on recipes and events, as well as other news from Table & Thyme!
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