How can I make iced coffee at home?
Don’t say it too loudly, but weeks of warm weather will soon be with us in the UK.
And on a sweltering day, there’s nothing nicer than an iced coffee to cool you down and keep you energised.
But if the prospect of shelling out on expensive takeaway coffee leaves you cold, you’ll be pleased to hear that with a few simple tips, you’ll soon be able to make them yourself at home.
What do I need to make iced coffee?
It’s amazing simple to make a cup of DIY iced ‘joe’.
The ingredients necessary are simple and straightforward, and you don’t need much in the way of equipment either.
The first thing you’ll need is coffee (as you might imagine), ice cubes, milk, and a bit of sugar, if you’ve got a sweet tooth.
You’ll also need a container that it can cool in as well as another in which to serve it.
If you’re looking to make a barista-style iced frappe you will also need a blender.
Flavourings like vanilla or caramel aren’t necessary, but they’ll allow you to more easily emulate the flavours you’ll find at a good coffee shop.
And if you want to thicken up your drink, you can simply add cream.
Can I use instant coffee?
You most certainly can use instant, provided you’re using diluted liquid coffee it doesn’t matter too much what kind you use.
However, instant won’t be as flavoursome as fresh, so coffee aficionados may prefer to play it safe with a proper brew.
How can I make it?
With a blender:
Use this approach if you’re looking for that Starbucks-esque Frappuccino.
To make it, simply pour the coffee into the blender, and add crushed ice cubes and approximately a quarter cup of milk.
At this point, chuck in any additional flavourings you fancy and blend it for around 8 to 12 seconds till it’s thick.
Then all that’s left is to pour it into an elegant glass, sit back and sip proudly at your handiwork!
Without a blender:
But if you don’t have a blender, never fear, you can still make yourself a cooling summer drink..
All you’ll need is a little more time, as it will take a few hours to be ready.
Heat up the coffee and ensure that it’s particularly strong.
This is because it will be diluted with ice and milk and you want to retain the flavour.
Add sugar to the coffee before it cools (if you like yours sweet).
Here comes the bit that requires a bit of patience.
After that, you need to transfer it to a glass container, to cool at room temperature for an hour.
Once it’s sufficiently cool, you then put it in the fridge for a further two hours.
But, rest assured, it’ll be worth the wait.
Finally, serve it in a tall glass with some ice, with milk or cream, stir it well and enjoy!