Us coffee aficionados are spoilt for choice with the many different kinds of coffee drinks out there. You can go to any decent coffee shop and find everything from bitter espressos to sweet mochaccinos.
One of the most popular coffee beverages is the tasty iced cappuccino. This refreshing drink is a crowd favourite especially in hot countries like Singapore. Most people usually buy their iced cappuccinos from cafes or coffee shops, but what if we tell you that you can make an amazing glass of iced cappuccino right now in your own kitchen? Today, we will be teaching you how to make an iced cappuccino at home.
What Is An Iced Cappuccino?
To put it simply, an iced cappuccino is a caffeinated beverage composed mainly of espresso, ice, milk, and any other optional additives. People have been drinking cappuccinos for hundreds of years. You can trace the drink’s origin all the way back to the 1700s in Habsburg controlled Austria.
Coffee shops in Vienna at the time served what was called a Kapuziner, which they defined as “coffee with sugar and cream”. The name is derived from the drink’s colour, which was the same creamy-brown hue as the robes of the monks of Capuchin.
The modern name ‘Cappuccino’ was first used in the 1930s by the Italians. The drink was said to resemble the Austrian Kapuziner with an additional whipped cream on top. This version of the cappuccino would keep on developing into what we consider now as the modern day cappuccino. This modern cappuccino would then be further tinkered with to create iced cappuccino.
What Is The Difference Between Iced Cappuccino And Iced Latte?
Are you confused about the differences between iced cappuccinos and iced lattes? No worries, most people get the two of them mixed up all the time. Both of these drinks are fundamentally very similar; they both are mostly made of milk and espresso.
However, there are small differences between these two coffee drinks. This means that they have subtle variations in taste and texture.
- Iced latte consists of an espresso that is cooled with ice cubes, before then being topped with steamed milk. There is no froth on top of an iced latte.
- Iced cappuccino consists of an espresso that is cooled with ice cubes and topped with a very thick layer of milk foam. In contrast to standard ‘hot’ cappuccinos, an iced cappuccino does not have any steamed milk.
Ingredients For Making An Iced Cappuccino
- ¼ cup of espresso
- 2 tbsp of preferred milk
- 1 tsp of sweetener (maple or simple syrup is recommended)
- Cold foam
- Optional toppings (cinnamon, chocolate, etc)
- Ice cubes
Steps To Make A Refreshing Iced Cappuccino
Make Your Espresso
Before making your iced cappuccino, you must first prepare a freshly brewed batch of espresso. There are a number of methods you can choose from to make your espresso:
- French Press: a simple and easy method to create an espresso that tastes great.
- Espresso Machine: overall the best option to comfortably brew a rich cup of espresso. However, the machines tend to be expensive.
- Moka Pot: you can make a strong coffee that is similar to espressos using this machine.
- Portable Espresso Maker: affordable and allows you to make espressos when you are not at home.
Create Your Cold Foam
Cold foam is a topping often used for cold coffee drinks. It is made by frothing milk to copy the texture of steamed milk. However, it has a cold temperature so that it won’t melt when poured on top of your drink.
Putting The Final Ingredients Together
Once you have freshly made your espresso and cold foam, you can now put all the ingredients together. Start by adding ice cubes and pouring your espresso into a mixing glass. Then, add your desired sweetener and mix for a couple of minutes. Pour the mixture into the serving glass, then add your cold foam / frothed milk on top of the mixture. Finally, add any garnish of your choice on top of the drink.
