iced coffee addiction

There's been an explosion of cold-brewed iced coffee devotees amongst my Flickr friends so I can't claim credit for this one. I've been meaning to make my own iced coffee again for ages - I have an intense love for iced vanilla lattes that knows no bounds. Fortunately for my waistline, my wallet is too slender to allow me to partake of these tasty treats more than once a month or so. But now that I'm home with this adorable baby, whose idea of an adequate amount of consecutive sleep doesn't exactly match up with mine, I both need a little caffeine once in a while and don't get to frequent coffee shops as much as I'd like. So back to the homemade coffee it is!

I used to make cold brewed coffee a few years ago but had forgotten exactly how, so I was pleased when I ran across smitten kitchen's "recipe" again last week. It's so easy I hesitate to even call it a recipe, but there are ingredients and some stirring involved, so there you go.

What really makes the finished drink for me, because I'm a girlie-sweet-drink-a-holic, is the addition of the vanilla syrup. (A healthy dose of cream doesn't hurt either...) Oh sure, you can go to the store and buy that flavored syrup like they use at the coffee shops, but if you have a few spare moments and a few (very) basic ingredients - why not make your own? I store mine in a jar in the fridge and this recipe lasts a good while, despite my propensity for slightly over-sweetened coffee drinks.

cold brewed iced coffee
from smitten kitchen - I usually double the recipe

• 1/3 cup medium/coarse ground coffee
• 1 1/2 cups cool water

Combine coffee and water, stirring thoroughly. Let sit, covered, overnight. Strain well through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter. Stores quite nicely in a jar in the fridge!

vanilla simple syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 t. vanilla extract (or your flavor of choice)

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is fully dissolved. Let cool and stir in desired amount of desired flavor. Easy peasy! Also stores well in a jar in the fridge.

Now that you've got those jars in the fridge, grab both of them and some milk, cream or heck, even water will do. To make my morning "latte" I pour a little less than half a glass of coffee concentrate then add a big glug of vanilla syrup and some cream and fill the rest of the way with milk. (All cream would be delicious, I'm sure, but that sounds a bit too decadent even for my crazy I'm-breastfeeding-and-burning-a-gajillion-calories-a-day self. Kind of like drinking melted ice cream...mmm...)

Comments

[Melissa A.]

I totally thought the vanilla syrup would involve vanilla beans ;) I make simple syrup a lot in the summer, to sweeten iced coffee or other cold drinks. I'll have to try this out.

[sam]

you totally inspired me - I've been drinking coldpress coffee - I love it!