When summertime rolls around, the need to have a variety of cool beverages at your disposal becomes crucial. Limited options are no fun. And you shouldn’t have to run to a cafe or a restaurant every time you are hit with an urge to drink something cold and delicious.
Making the best cold coffee at home is a great way to add variety to your options, not to mention that it’s cost effective. You can easily use the ingredients that are generally available in your kitchen to make a simple cold coffee, or you may whip up something extravagant on a whim.
Cold-brewed coffee is a good option for making cold coffee at home and is also less acidic than hot-brewed coffee. Cold-brewed coffee is the one-stop solution for many coffee hassles. You’ll find that giving it the right start is all it takes, and you’ll be forever rid of boiling and cooling your coffee. You may even end up switching to cold-brewed coffee for life.
Those who lack the patience required to pull off the cold brew may switch to instant coffee, which provides ease of use and helps you indulge your whims.
Here are two methods that you can use to easily make the best cold coffee.
Contents
Method 1: Using Cold-Brewed Coffee
Things you’ll need:
- Ground coffee – ½ cup
- Water – 1½ cups
Step 1. Combine coffee and water in a glass jar
Select a glass jar for brewing the coffee. A mason jar works well. Add ½ cup of ground coffee to the jar. Pour in 1½ cups of room temperature water as well.
Step 2. Let the coffee brew
Screw the lid on the Mason jar and let the coffee steep for at least 12 hours or overnight. A longer steeping time will give you stronger coffee. You may even steep the coffee for up to 24 hours.
Step 3. Strain the brewed coffee
Arrange a strainer over a bowl and cover the strainer with cheesecloth. Pour the coffee over the cheese cloth. Squeeze the coffee grounds in the cloth to extract all the liquid. Discard the used coffee grounds and get ready to use your cold-brew coffee in an assortment of preparations.
A. Iced Black Coffee
Things you’ll need:
- Brewed coffee, chilled
- Water, chilled
- Ice cubes
Step 1. Combine brewed coffee and water in a glass
Combine 1 part brewed coffee with 2 parts water in a glass. The coffee and the water should be chilled and cool.
Step 2. Add ice cubes to the glass and serve
Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to the glass. You may also use crushed ice
Sweeten if desired, and serve immediately.
B. Iced Milk Coffee
Things you’ll need:
- Brewed coffee, chilled – 1 cup
- Condensed milk – 2 to 3 tablespoons
- Ice cubes
Step 1. Pour the brewed coffee into a tall glass
Pour 1 cup of chilled brewed coffee into a tall glass.
Step 2. Add ice cubes
Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to the glass.
Step 3. Add condensed milk and serve
Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of condensed milk into the coffee for a rich taste. Condensed milk will sweeten the beverage as well.
Serve the chilled coffee. Add a whimsical and fun touch by serving it with an umbrella straw.
C. Using an Electric Blender
Things you’ll need:
- Brewed coffee – 1 cup
- Milk – 2 cups
- Cream – 3 tablespoons
- Sugar – 3 tablespoons
- Ice cubes
Step 1. Pour brewed coffee into a blender
Pour 1 cup of brewed coffee into the jar of an electric blender.
Step 2. Add the dairy ingredients
Pour 2 cups of milk into the jar, followed by 3 tablespoons of fresh cream.
Step 3. Add sugar and crushed ice
Next, add 3 tablespoons of sugar and some crushed ice to the jar.
Step 4. Blend until frothy and serve
Put the lid on the jar and blend the contents on high for 20 to 30 seconds, until it becomes light and frothy.
Step 5. Pour the coffee and serve
Pour the creamy coffee into a tall glass. Serve chilled with a straw. You may also glaze the glass with some chocolate syrup before pouring in the coffee.
D. Using Frozen Coffee
Things you’ll need:
- Brewed coffee
- Ice cube tray
Step 1. Fill up the ice cube tray with brewed coffee
Pour the brewed coffee into an ice cube tray.
Step 2. Pop the ice cube tray in the freezer
Pop the ice cube tray in the freezer and let the coffee freeze. This is also a great way to store your cold brew coffee. Making drinks with frozen coffee cubes is easier as well.
I. Black Iced Coffee
Things you’ll need:
- Frozen coffee cubes – 4
- Brewed coffee, chilled – 1 cup
Step 1. Pour brewed coffee on frozen coffee cubes and serve
Put 4 cubes of frozen coffee in a glass. Pour in the chilled brewed coffee. This will yield pure undiluted coffee for the hardcore coffee lovers out there.
Before serving, you may sweeten the coffee if desired. You’ll find that the cold-brewed coffee has a much lower acidity than hot-brewed coffee that has been chilled.
II. Iced Coffee with Milk
Things you’ll need:
- Frozen coffee cubes – 6
- Milk – 1 cup
- Condensed milk – 1 tablespoon
Step 1. Put the frozen coffee cubes in a glass
Put 6 cubes of frozen coffee in a glass.
Step 2. Add the dairy ingredients and serve
Pour in 1 cup of milk, followed by 1 tablespoon of condensed milk. Milk tempers the potency of the coffee, while condensed milk sweetens the drink and adds a rich flavor.
Enjoy your iced coffee with milk by yourself or serve it to your guests.
Method 2: Using Instant Coffee
A. Using an Electric Blender
Things you’ll need:
- Warm water – ½ cup
- Instant coffee – 1 tablespoon
- Sugar – 2 tablespoons
- Milk – 2 cups
- Cream – 2 tablespoons
- Crushed ice
Step 1. Combine warm water, instant coffee and sugar in a bowl
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of warm water with1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Dissolve the coffee and sugar completely in the water.
Step 2. Blend coffee mixture and milk together
Pour the coffee mixture into the jar of an electric blender. Add 2 cups of milk. Blend on high for a few seconds.
Step 3. Add cream and crushed ice and blend on high
Next, add in 2 tablespoons of cream and the crushed ice. Cover the lid and blend the contents of the jar on high for about 30 seconds.
Step 4. Serve in a tall glass
Before pouring the coffee, you may opt to glaze the glass with some chocolate syrup. This will enhance the taste as well as the presentation of your drink. If you wish to make an extra effort, you may sprinkle a little chocolate powder on the top for a final touch.
B. Using a Shaker
Things you’ll need:
- Warm water – ¼ cup
- Instant coffee – 2 teaspoons
- Sugar – 1 tablespoon
- Milk – 1½ cups
- Ice cubes
Step 1. Combine warm water, instant coffee and sugar in a glass bowl
Measure ¼ cup of warm water into a glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Dissolve the coffee and sugar completely in the water. You may use ground sugar for ease in dissolving.
Step 2. Pour the coffee mixture into a shaker
Pour the coffee mixture into a shaker. Making coffee in a shaker is an efficient way to make your coffee to go.
Step 3. Add milk and ice cubes
Pour 1½ cups of milk into the shaker. Add 2 or 3 ice cubes as well.
Step 4. Shake the contents and enjoy your coffee
Close the shaker and get your coffee shaking. If you’re making it for kids, hand them their shakers and let them do the shaking. They’ll end up having fun while doing it.
Keep the heat wave at bay with this chilled coffee.
Additional Tips
- The cold-brewed coffee can easily keep for about 2 weeks when stored in the refrigerator. When frozen, the coffee can easily be stored for at least a month. Always keep some stored in your fridge and use whenever desired.
- You may need to adjust the number of the frozen coffee cubes according to their size.
- You can also serve the cold coffee garnished with chocolate sauce, whipped cream or ice-cream.
- Cold-brewed coffee can also be used to make a steaming cuppa.
- You can use the discarded coffee grounds to increase the acidity of the soil in your garden.
I followed this recipe, it was the best cold coffee I’ve ever had. Rating – 10/10. A must try ??
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