Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

This post was originally published on February 16, 2012 on Cooking for Seven.  A reader recently requested this recipe, so I thought I should share it here on Buttered Side Up!

Skiing is my favorite winter sport. Feeling the snow swish beneath my feet as I slide down the “mountain” (in Minnesota, the closest things we have to mountains are very large hills).

It’s always fun to plan out our lunches for skiing, trying to come up with something special and delicious. A few weeks ago, I decided that Frappuccinos would be a lovely treat. Creamy coffee drinks are my favorite.

Thus I purchased a pack of bottled Frappuccions. The words “low-fat” on the bottle disturbed me a bit, but I was sure they would be yummy anyhow. Alas, not so. We found them to be overly sweet and thin.  We dumped in some cream and they were improved immensely. But I was sure I could make something better myself.

Sure enough, I was able to produce something rich and creamy with much better flavor and less sweetener. That’s the beauty of making it yourself – you can customize it to your own personal tastes!

Here is my method for making your own creamy bottled frappiccino drink at home. Don’t think of it as a recipe as it’s meant to be highly customizable. I like my coffee fairly strong, so keep that in mind.

Homemade Frappiccinos Recipe 

Printable Page | Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk (none of this low-fat stuff)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (oh yeah)
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

Brew your espresso or coffee and place in the refrigerator until cold, about an hour or so. Add the remaining ingredients and stir or shake well (if using a bottle). Taste and adjust the ratio of milk, syrup, etc. Keep going until you love it. Enjoy!

This should keep in the refrigerator for a few days. I haven’t experimented with keeping it longer!

PS: This was the fourth photo I posted on Instagram. I liked it so much I included it in my blog post. :)

Note: some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

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Phone Friday: Over the Holidays...

It's been a little while since I've done a Phone Friday Post, so I thought it was high time I updated y'all on what's been going on in my life, food and otherwise...

My go-to lunch for the past few months has been (what I call) Egg on Rice. I really like it with butter, kimchi, ginger, frozen peas, a fried egg and some sort of meat. So so good and satisfying.

We made sushi! My sister decided to host a sushi making party. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about it working out, but it was delicious.

I had the best tasting coffee shop breve ever (and it came with pretty art). You see, I usually don't like coffee from a shop as much as homemade, but this breve from a local establishment was very good and didn't taste fakey.

My little sister bought me a set of phone lenses for Christmas. It's been really fun playing around with them, especially the macro lens.




CHOCOLATE HAUL! I was hoping that I would get chocolate for Christmas, and my family did not disappoint.

And I leave with my sad attempt at hand lettering. That should be a goal of mine this year: get better at hand lettering (or painting in general).

Inspiration from Upper Hand Lettering and quote from Pinterest.



I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that 2015 will be an awesome year!



xoxo
Erica

Friday, January 2, 2015

Phone Friday: Over the Holidays...

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How to Make Mocha | His and Hers

I don't remember the first time I tasted a mocha. It was probably at a Starbucks or Caribou Coffee when I was 18 or so. In general I am nonplussed about most chain coffee drinks, but, if my memory serves me well, I believe that I quite enjoyed it. It wasn't extremely sweet like most specialty drinks. The flavors of the coffee and chocolate meld almost seamlessly.

I also can't remember the first time I made my own mocha, but I have made many since. Not gonna lie: it isn't the simplest coffee drink you'll ever make. But if you're already in love brewing your own lattes, the only extra steps are stirring in chocolate and adding whipped cream. If you're having a relaxed morning/afternoon, I highly suggest going to the extra effort to try this out.

I have included two ingredient lists: one that's milder and sweeter and one that's more intense. Reuben enjoys his coffee soft and sweet, I like mine with a bit of a bite. You can always experiment with the sweetener/milk levels until you get it just how you like it.

Notes:

• This recipe is for an 8 ounce mug. You could use a larger one, but it won't be full.
• You can use either cold or fresh espresso. If you decide to use cold, make sure that your milk is piping hot.
• I like to use my little milk frother (I got mine at IKEA) to whip my cream. I can't be bothered with dragging out ANOTHER piece of equipment. 
• This recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, but you could also use chocolate syrup for a smoother consistency. Make sure you leave out or cut down on the maple syrup if you do.
• I actually don't use a recipe most of the time when I make a mocha: I make it up as I go. Think of this recipe as a starting place and customize to your liking!
• My preferred coffee maker is the Aeropress. Of course if you're all set up with an espresso maker you can make your espresso and froth your milk using your machine. Lucky you. 

How to Make a Caffe Mocha

recipe by Erica Kastner

makes one 8-ounce serving

Printable Page

His:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons half and half

2 teaspoons cocoa powder (I used cacao powder)

1/2 oz espresso, fresh or cold

1/2 ounce maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Hers:

3/4 cup half and half

3 teaspoons cocoa powder

4 teaspoons espresso, fresh or cold

2 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:

1) Place your half and half in a small pan and heat until steamy. 

2) Meanwhile, place your cocoa powder in your favorite mug. Pour in half of the espresso. Stir until you have a fairly thick, very smooth mixture. This could take a bit of time. Stir in the remaining espresso, then the maple syrup and vanilla extract. 

3) Froth the hot milk using a handheld milk frother. Slowly pour the frothed milk into your mug. Whip your cream in a small bowl or cup with the milk frother until it's softly whipped. Spoon over your mocha. Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

How to Make Mocha | His and Hers

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Dirty Chai Pancakes with Spiced Caramel Sauce

This was originally posted on October 15, 2012 on Cooking for Seven. These are some of the yummiest pancakes I've ever made and I'm still quite proud of my photos. :) 

Alright, time for the promised pancakes!

When Emma pinned these Dirty Chai Pancakes the other day, I knew I needed to make them. And so I did.

Reuben loved them. “These are really good pancakes,” he told me with his mouth full.

Lovely Chai spices are mixed in with the dry ingredients. Fresh-ground espresso makes these “dirty” pancakes.

You should whip these up. Today. For breakfast, lunch or supper! They’re good any time.

Recipe Notes:

The original recipe called for spelt flour, but I subbed whole wheat and AP flour with great success. It also called for non-dairy milk, but I just used regular whole.

I didn’t have any maple syrup on hand, so I just mixed up a spiced caramel sauce. You could also mix a few spices into warmed maple syrup if you prefer.

Dirty Chai Pancakes with Spiced Caramel Sauce | adapted from The First Mess and Foods of Our Lives | serves 3-4 | Printable Page

Ingredients

For the Spiced Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch each of: ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves

For the pancakes:

• 1 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpse flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground espresso

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
• 1 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

To make the caramel sauce:

1) Place the sugar in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir vigorously with awooden spoon until the sugar melts. This will take a few minutes.

2) Once the sugar has all melted start adding the butter one piece at a time. Whisk until the butter is completely melted. Wait about 3 seconds and then add the cream slowly. Whisk as you add until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.

3) Add the salt and spices and whisk again a couple times just to incorporate.

To make the pancakes:

1) Combine the milk and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Stir lightly and set aside to curdle for at least 5 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground coffee, cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves. Add the curdled milk, maple syrup, melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir gently to combine, taking care not to over mix.

3) Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush the pan with melted butter. Drop 1/3 cup measures of the pancake batter into the pan. Allow the first side to cook for 1 to 1-½ minutes, or until bubbles pop on the surface and the edges appear dry and lightly browned. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another minute. Remove pancakes and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

4) Serve pancakes with lots of butter, spiced caramel sauce or maple syrup. Yum!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Dirty Chai Pancakes with Spiced Caramel Sauce

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