Cold coffee drinks can be made with
coffee that has been in the refrigerator overnight, or with coffee
that cools as you drinks it. Some people say that even when cold it
should still be as fresh as possible, so keep it in a closed
container. The coffee is prepared by making either espresso coffee,
or nearly double-strength filter, plunger, or even freeze-dried
instant. (Use half the water you normally would in the brew.) If it
is made several hours in advance it may be best to sweeten it while
the coffee is still hot enough to dissolve the sugar or sweetener,
remembering that the cold coffee will be very bitter. (you will
probably want to add a bit of sugar when you actually make the
drink). Sometimes it helps to plan ahead and freeze some strong
coffee ice cubes, as some drinks lose their coffee flavor when
normal ice melts.
Basic iced coffee Place ice cubes (made from coffee if desired) in a tall glass.
Fill half the glass with cold coffee as prepared above. Fill the
rest of glass with cold milk. Add sugar to taste, and a few drops of
vanilla essence. Stir and top with whipped cream, if desired.
Basic coffee frappe Take 250ml cold strong coffee, one to two tablespoons of
condensed milk or single cream, a splash of vanilla essence (or
another essence, if desired), and crushed ice. Combine ingredients
in a blender until smooth. Serve in a tall glass.
Basic coffee milkshake Combine in a blender or cocktail shaker 100ml cold strong
coffee, one scoop of vanilla ice-cream, 250ml milk and sugar to
taste. Blend or shake until thick and frothy. Serve in a tall glass
with a long-handled spoon. Alternative ice-cream flavors are
peppermint, mint, chocolate, coffee, banana, coconut or almond.
Other options are a few drops of essence, a spoonful of any
flavoring from the caffe latte lists above, or even small pieces of
fresh fruit.
Basic fruit parfaits
For about four servings, combine in a blender equal parts (250ml
each) of strong cold coffee and milk, with one 450g tin of fruit in
syrup, undrained. (Peaches or pineapple chunks work well.) Blend
until smooth. Add about 300 ml vanilla ice-cream, and continue
blending to the desired consistency. Pour into tall glasses, garnish
with a piece of the fruit, and serve with a long-handled spoon.
Basic coffee yoghurt
Combine equal parts of plain natural yoghurt and cold strong coffee.
Sweeten to taste and combine in the blender until smooth. You could
if you wished add two tablespoons of crème de cacao before blending
and serve with grated chocolate on top, or sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Coffee on the rocks or basic
black
Place about two ice cubes and one to two teaspoons of sugar in a
whisky tumbler. Pour a hot, fresh cup of espresso over the ice,
stir, and drink. If you wish, add a mint leaf to the coffee, or a
touch of Angostura bitters.
The bee's knees, or iced coffee
with honey Honey can be used with hot or cold coffee. Try a glass of strong
cold coffee over ice, sweetened with honey and topped with whipped
cream.
Basic coffee soda
In a tall glass mix together three parts strong coffee to one part
single cream (or equal parts coffee syrup and single cream), add a
scoop of vanilla ice-cream and top up with a little cold club soda
and stir well. Variations can be made by using different ice-cream
flavors, or by adding other flavored syrups, such as banana and/or
amaretto; a simpler variant is the addition of a few drops of almost
any desired flavored essence to the basic recipe.
Basic granita di caffe, or
coffee slush
Place three heaped tablespoons of sugar (the more sugar used, the
smoother the slush), and 250ml water in a saucepan, and boil for
five minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. add this to
750ml of very strong coffee. Mix well, pour into shallow containers
and place in the freezer. Stir the mixture every half-hour until the
desired consistency is reached. Serve in a glass with a long-handled
spoon, and top with whipped cream.
You can also make it in a blender
instead of the freezer, using about eight espresso ice cubes, 350ml
ice-cream (coffee or vanilla flavored), and 250ml flavored syrup -
try equal parts Kahlua and coffee syrups, or amaretto and coffee, or
Kahlua and amaretto. Blend until well mixed.
The simplest way to make granita
for one serving is to make 250ml very strong coffee, dissolve about
a tablespoon of sugar in it, chill it, shake it vigorously with
crushed ice in a cocktail shaker and serve topped with whipped
cream.
In any granita recipe, if a
smoother texture is desired, include a well-whisked egg white when
adding the ice or freezing the mixture.
Iced cafe al orange In a blender combine equal
parts (about half a glass each) cold black coffee prepared as above
and orange sorbet. When smooth, pour mixture into glass, while
drizzling a tablespoon of double cream through it. Serve with a
straw.
