Even though iced brew is synonymous with summer times, with its ever-rising popularity, iced coffee is an all-year choice among the masses. The iced latte is one of the ingenious additions to the iced brew lineup. It’s a combination of bitter espresso and sweet, creamy milk, of course, with ice cubes. Save your time and money with our iced latte recipe.
What’s An Iced Latte?
As mentioned, an iced latte is a mix of espresso, milk, ice, and an optional sweetener. Don’t confuse it with iced coffee. Iced coffee is made with brewed coffee, whereas an iced latte requires double shots of espresso. Also, milk is optional for iced coffee, but for iced lattes, it’s mandatory. The good news is that you can pour either cold milk or frothed milk into the iced latte. Furthermore, the use of espresso in iced lattes results in a stronger-tasting and darker-flavored drink.
Ideal Milk Options For Iced Latte
You can use pretty much all kinds of milk for iced lattes. But we recommend that you avoid using heavy cream and half-and-half. An iced latte requires at least 8 ounces of milk. So, the higher fat content from heavy cream or half-and-half doesn’t protect the nutritional integrity.
Cold Or Frothed Milk – What’s Best For Iced Latte?
Usually, a traditional latte requires frothed milk. Thus, baristas follow the same logic for iced lattes too. But for an iced latte, it’s not a mandatory move since hot milk will melt your ice quicker and dilute the taste of espresso. So, we advise you to use cold milk for iced lattes. As an added bonus, it makes the recipe way easier both in terms of cost and time.
Caffeine Content: Iced Coffee Or Iced Latte?
Ounce for ounce, espresso offers more caffeine content than regular coffee. An ounce of espresso will give you about 63 mg of caffeine. Coffee, on the other hand, will have about 14 mg of caffeine per ounce.
However, a medium-sized iced coffee has 12 ounces of coffee (equal to 168 mg of caffeine). On the other hand, a medium-sized iced latte has 2 shots of espresso (equal to 126 mg of caffeine). So, it’s clear that iced coffee is the stronger drink of the two.
Equipment
- Glass for your iced latte
- An espresso maker
- A long spoon
- A milk jug
Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Drink size: 12, 16, or 20 oz. (depends on your preference)
Ingredients
- 12-ounce cup size: a single shot of espresso (30 ml), 1 ounce of sweetener/syrup, and 8 ounces of milk
- 16-ounce cup size: double shots of espresso (60 ml), 2 ounces of syrup/sweetener, and 8 ounces of milk
- 20-ounce cup size: 3 shots of espresso (90 ml), 4 ounces of sweetener/syrup, and 8 ounces of milk
- Add ice cubes to your liking
- Recommended syrups/sweeteners: pumpkin spice, creamer vanilla, maple syrup, gingerbread syrup, rosemary syrup, caramel sauce, eggnog, and honey
Making Iced Latte Step-By-Step
Fill The Glass With Ice Cubes
First, pick your glass according to your drink size (12/16/20-ounce). Fill it up with ice cubes. The amount is up to you; we don’t want to put a number on it.
Tip: If you like to add sugar to your iced latte, you can pour it in now.
Brew The Espresso
Now you can focus on the espresso.
After the brew, you can let it cool down or pour it hot into your latte glass. Use the Espresso Roast for your espresso here. It’ll give you the right dark, bitter flavor.
Note: With a Nespresso machine, you can pour the espresso directly over your ice cubes.
Pour In The Milk
As already established, you can put either frothy milk or straight cold milk into the glass. Stir up the blend for uniformity.
Add The Syrup And Serve
Top it off with your favorite sweetener or syrup at the end and stir one last time. Now it’s ready to drink! Serve it with muffins, cinnamon buns, or loaf cakes.
In conclusion, crafting the perfect iced latte is all about embracing the delightful combination of espresso, milk, ice, and a hint of sweetness if you desire. Remember, it’s important to differentiate between an iced latte and iced coffee; while the latter uses brewed coffee, an iced latte relies on those rich double shots of espresso, ensuring a creamy texture that’s simply irresistible. Whether you prefer cold milk or frothy goodness, your iced latte can be customized to suit your taste. So, next time you’re in the mood for a refreshing pick-me-up, don’t hesitate to whip up this tasty treat at home! Enjoy every sip!
