Creating quality coffee drinks at home is one of the simplest things we can do for ourselves. At Pink House, we consider a well-crafted coffee in the morning to be an act of self-care.
As we’re all spending more time at home and trying new recipes, we had a few thoughts to share. Let’s make coffee at home a simpler process that feels like a routine we enjoy doing. We want to look forward to that homemade lavender latte or cardamom iced coffee in the morning to get us out of bed. Making espresso doesn’t have to be a daunting task. You don’t have to have a fancy machine to make a shot strong enough to fuel your daily tasks. (If you do that’s great! You can skip to the recipes below :) Steamed milk really elevates a good cup of caffeine and we can simplify that too. Our pH syrups are packed with fresh botanical flavor, allowing you to make most drinks with three ingredients or less. Just call us minimalists. That’s trendy right now.
In this post, we’ll share a few tips and tricks for reaching peak caffeination at home along with some of our favorite recipes.
Espresso Without a Machine
First, the espresso. There are several different ways to make espresso without a machine. Aeropress, Moka Pot, or a French Press are the simplest and most cost-effective tools. I’m partial to the Moka Pot because it’s foolproof, not a lot can go wrong and the coffee is stronggg. Cold brew at home is even simpler. If the thought of hot coffee right now makes you instantly sweat, check out this post for easy cold brew tricks at home. Pick the tool that works best for you and get to brewing!
Steaming and Frothing Milk
Next, the milk. Depending on the drink you’re making you’ll probably want to prepare milk in a few different ways. Steaming and frothing are solid options for hot coffee. To steam milk on the stove, bring milk to simmer in a saucepan. Stir it occasionally to prevent that thin layer on top that likes to form. We don’t have time for that. Turn the heat off once you see steam coming from the milk. In the microwave, start with 30 seconds, stir, then heat for another 15 seconds until the milk starts to steam. To froth the milk you can use an electric frother, electric mixer, or a French Press. Pretty simple right?
If you’re drinking iced, you can create cold foam by simply shaking your ingredients instead of stirring. Or you can add 1 oz. of your favorite pH syrup to heavy whipping cream in a mason jar and shake for a minute for a creamy coffee addition that looks pretty when you pour it over espresso in a glass. We’re all for aesthetic here, second to quality flavor of course.
Now, let’s get to the drinks. Scroll on for easy Ginger Cortado, Herbalicious Iced Matcha, Vanilla Bean Cappuccino, Cardamom Iced Coffee, and Lavender Latte recipes.
Pumpkin Butternut Spice Latte (2 ways)
2 shots of espresso
8 oz milk
Combine espresso and syrup in your favorite mug. Pour your steamed and/or frothed milk over top. Take a deep breath to embrace the coziness of fall and feel like your latte is wrapping you in a warm sweater.
OR
1 cup of coffee
3 oz. of cream
Add syrup and cream to a small French press to froth. Pour over your coffee and enjoy!
Iced Pumpkin Butternut Spice Cold Brew with Cold Foam
6 oz. coffee or 3 oz. cold brew concentrate
1-2 oz. of your favorite milk
Ice
Add the syrup to your coffee to sweeten then there are a few ways you can make pumpkin cream/cold foam depending on how you like it.
1) You can add a little syrup to heavy cream or half & half in a mason jar. Shake until it thickens, pour on top of your iced coffee.
2) Add syrup to cream or half & half and froth for ~45 seconds with a hand held frother.
3) Shake your cold brew, syrup, milk of choice on ice in a jar, cocktail shaker, etc. Pour on ice and you’ll have a foam layer on top!
Ginger Cortado
2 shots of espresso
Steam 2 oz. of your favorite milk (our go-to is Oatly Oat Milk)
1 oz of pH Ginger syrup
Combine syrup and espresso first. Then slowly pour your steamed milk on your espresso. Make sure the ratio of espresso to milk is 1:1. Serve with a side of ginger snap cookies just because.
Herbalicious Iced Matcha Latte
1 teaspoon matcha powder
8 oz. cold milk
1 -1.5 oz. pH Herbalicious syrup
Add enough hot water to your matcha powder in a glass to make a paste. Add milk and pH Herbalicious syrup with ice and shake or stir to combine. Drink alongside a cute puppy for instant happiness.
Vanilla Bean Cappuccino
Two shots of espresso
4 oz. of your favorite milk
1 oz. pH Vanilla Bean syrup
Combine espresso and pH Vanilla Bean syrup in a coffee mug. Foam your milk and pour over top the espresso. Simple as that!
Cardamom Iced Coffee
1 oz. pH Cardamom syrup
6 oz. coffee or 3 oz. cold brew concentrate
1-2 oz. of your favorite milk
Ice
Combine and serve in a glass with ice. To create cold foam on top, shake your ingredients with ice in a shaker or mason jar. Prepare to be floored with this flavor combo.
Lavender Latte
2 shots of espresso
8 oz milk
1 oz. pH Lavender syrup
Combine espresso and syrup in your favorite mug. Pour your steamed and/or frothed milk over top. Take a deep breath to embrace the fresh lavender smell and start your day!
