espresso

I recently was given an awesome hand-me-down espresso maker,(thanks Dad & Pam!) and I have been having great fun with it.  My latest concoction is this delicious Cinnamon Maple Iced Latte.

If you don’t have an espresso maker, don’t worry.  This can easily be made with cold-brewed toddy.  Cold-brewed toddy is a low-acid coffee made by simply soaking coffee grounds in water overnight, then straining.  Read here for instructions.

If you do have an at-home espresso maker, just make 4 ounces of espresso.  Don’t worry about cooling the espresso down, ice will do that job for you.

This recipe is a breeze if you do just a couple of steps ahead of time.  It uses a cinnamon syrup, which keeps really well in the refrigerator.  Make once and use for a week or two. If you skip the espresso process and use toddy, then that, too, can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.  Talk about streamlining the process of making a quick iced drink!  Just grab your jar of brewed toddy, grab the cinnamon syrup, grab your ice and milk and voila–a delicious and very inexpensive Cinnamon Maple Iced Toddy Latte.

This really is a special tasting drink.  I like it better than what I can buy at my favorite coffee shops, especially when those said drinks cost me over $4.00 a pop!

 

Cinnamon Maple Iced Latte

1 Tbsp cinnamon syrup

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

4 oz espresso (or cold-brewed toddy)

4 oz milk of choice (I use vanilla almond milk–delish!)

glass full of ice

 

Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup filtered water

1 tsp cinnamon 

Combine water and cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes, whisking often.  Do not go longer.  Overcooking will turn it into the consistency of egg white, and you DO NOT want that.  Pour the syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

 

To Make Cinnamon Iced Toddy:

Fill glass with ice.  Measure milk into a glass measure.  Add maple syrup and cinnamon syrup. Stir, then pour over ice.

Add espresso or toddy.  Give a gentle stir.  Pop in a straw and enjoy!

 

I have a thing for drinking iced coffee drinks with a lid and straw.  I think I just got used to it from purchasing so many iced lattes in my lifetime! I have ADORED the mason jar lids and straw you see in the above picture.  They turn a mason jar into a portable cup with straw, or a sippy cup without the straw.

If you want even more fancy, use a pretty glass and pop one of these stainless steel straws in.  Love it!