Coffee House Specialties
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Coffee houses can be a nightmare depending on your allergies and food restrictions. Most shops serve beverages with dairy, almond milk or soy milk, as well as baked goods containing nuts and gluten. From time to time, Hazelnut even works its way into plain black coffee. Luckily for you, making coffee house tier beverages is a breeze. Never worry again about jaded hipsters making your drink wrong.
Some drinks will require specialized equipment, which will pay for itself in no time when you no longer spend six bucks on a fancy coffee drink every morning. My espresso machine cost $110, and I was spending $6.14 per trip to the coffee shop. That’s a payback period of only 18 days. Consider how often you go to the coffee shop, how much you spend per trip, and do some window shopping. You might be surprised how financially feasible lattes at home are.
If you don’t believe a reliable espresso maker can be acquired for a modest price, pictured above is mine, having just brewed two beautiful espresso shots. Note the thick layer of crema and the opacity. With good technique and an entry level machine you can brew like a pro. The key to achieving this rich color and texture is using finely ground, dark roast coffee. It should be packed evenly and tightly, but without pressing too hard.
Working Around Your Allergies
The good news here is these recipes are pretty easy to work with. I have experimented with several non-dairy milks and they all work more or less equally well. Fat content is the main distinguishing trait between each milk and milk alternative. Whole milk steams and froths better than 2%, which in turn froths better than skim. Oat milk available at the store labeled “extra creamy” generally has higher fat content per serving than the standard version. Other than frothing better, higher fat content equals richer tasting coffee drinks. With that in mind I have added an optional ingredient to some recipes- Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) powder. Use caution, the MCT powder is derived from coconuts.
If low-calorie is a concern for you I recommend sticking to the quad or the americano, as these are sugar free and milk/fat free. The next lowest calorie option would be the standard cafe latte, prepared with a fat free or low fat milk such as skim milk, 2%, or rice milk. For those sensitive to caffeine, or those seeking a hot beverage closer to bedtime, check out Hot Chocolate and Mexican Hot Chocolate below.
Cafe Latte
Ingredients
⅓ Cup Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
2 tsp MCT powder (optional, adds fat content and helps froth formation)
Instructions:
First brew your espresso per the instructions unique to your machine. Next add the MCT powder to your milk (if using) and begin to steam your milk using your machine’s steamer wand. I recommend doing this in the mug you will drink from. If you do not have a steamer you can heat the milk in a small saucepan and whisk vigorously. When you have the desired level of froth turn off the wand and add the espresso shots to the steamed milk.
Sweet Cafe Latte
Ingredients
⅓ Cup Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
2 tsp MCT powder (optional, adds fat content and helps froth formation)
2 tsp Sugar
Instructions:
Prepare this drink the same as a standard cafe latte, adding sugar to your milk prior to steaming.
Mocha Latte
Ingredients
⅓ Cup Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
2 tsp MCT powder (optional, adds fat content and helps froth formation)
Chocolate Syrup to taste
Instructions:
Prepare this drink the same as a standard cafe latte, adding chocolate syrup at the end.
Vanilla Latte
Ingredients
⅓ Cup Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
2 tsp MCT powder (optional, adds fat content and helps froth formation)
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Sugar
Instructions:
Prepare this drink the same as a standard cafe latte, adding the sugar and vanilla extract prior to steaming the milk
Americano
Ingredients
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
4 – 6 Oz Hot Water
Instructions:
First start water boiling in an electric kettle or stovetop. Next, brew your espresso per the instructions unique to your machine. Pour the espresso into your cup, then top the cup off with hot water.
The Quad
Ingredients
4 Oz. Espresso
Instructions:
Prepare four shots of espresso per the instructions unique to your machine. Place all four shots in a cup and enjoy. WARNING! This beverage is NOT for coffee lightweights. Espresso is usually rated around 80 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, which means the quad comes in at 320 milligrams. To put that in perspective, the largest can of Red Bull (20 oz.) energy drink contains 189 milligrams of caffeine.
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
1 Cup. Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
1 TBSP Cocoa Powder
2 TBSP Powdered Sugar
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions:
Heat milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan on low heat. Spoon the Cocoa Powder and Powdered Sugar through a sieve and into a mug large enough to hold the dry mix and the milk. When the milk is hot, but not boiling, pour it into the mug and whisk to combine. As an alternative, you can sift the dry mix into the saucepan and whisk to combine.
Shot in the Dark
Ingredients
1 Cup. Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
1 TBSP Cocoa Powder
2 TBSP Powdered Sugar
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
2 – 4 Oz. Espresso (single or double shot)
Instructions:
Heat milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan on low heat. Spoon the Cocoa Powder and Powdered Sugar through a sieve and into a mug large enough to hold the dry mix and the milk. When the milk is hot, but not boiling, pour it into the mug and whisk to combine. Brew your espresso per the instructions unique to your machine. Add espresso to your hot chocolate and serve.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
1 Cup. Milk or Non-dairy milk alternative
1 TBSP Cocoa Powder
1 TBSP Powdered Sugar
1 TBSP Brown Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
⅛ tsp Cinnamon
1 Pinch Nutmeg
Instructions:
Heat milk and vanilla extract. Sift in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Add in brown sugar and whisk again. Heat and stir until uniform, then serve.
Tips:
- I get better results brewing espresso with very finely ground coffee. When I buy pre-ground coffee I grind it finer before brewing to achieve a better surface area to volume ratio, this gives darker richer flavor to your espresso.
- There is an ideal level of compression when packing the espresso filter. Too loose and the coffee comes out weak, and the machine is prone to clog. Too compact and your machine may not be able to supply enough pressure to brew.
- Favorite Latte flavor not listed here? No problem. Just follow the standard Cafe Latte instructions and add in your favorite flavored syrup. Most of the syrups used in major coffee shops can be found online or in stores like Gordon Food Service or Sam’s Club.
- Sifting the sugar and cocoa for hot chocolate is critical. Nobody wants chunky hot chocolate.
- If you have the tools for steaming milk, you can take your hot chocolate to the next level by steaming it.