The ultimate iced coffee: hot, cold, or somewhere in between
How do you make the ultimate iced coffee? Starting with hot coffee, using cold drip, or do you no longer care? We’ve listed the pros and cons—will you choose your favorite?
As a true iced coffee lover, food editor Cora Lee (Food52) drinks cold coffee not only during the hottest months of the year, but also in spring, autumn, and winter. She bought a cold drip device, in which cold water slowly and gradually drips through ground coffee, so that after hours of waiting you get a perfect iced coffee. At least, according to Cora Lee. ‘The coffee tastes smoother, fruitier (like blueberries!) and less acidic,’ she says. ‘And a small cup is enough, because the slow extraction results in extra caffeine.’
Bizarre trend in China: coffee with chopped scallions (scallion latte)
Coffee kick!
Iced coffee is usually made with hot coffee, which cools down when mixed with cold milk or poured over ice cubes. Coffee brewed with hot water therefore extracts slightly less caffeine from the beans, but more intense, nutty flavors and, above all, more bitter flavors. And that is precisely the kick for true coffee lovers!
Ice cubes are a nightmare
According to Cora, cold coffee that has been diluted too much by ice cubes or crushed ice is truly a nightmare. Her recipe for the perfect iced coffee therefore takes the ice into account. Naturally, she uses fresh beans, not some dusty packet of coffee that has been sitting in the cupboard for weeks, and has them ground or grinds them herself. Then she calculates how much water she will use, counting the ice cubes as well. Essentially, she simply makes stronger coffee, so that when the ice cubes she later lets melt into the coffee, it reaches the perfect strength. She makes her cold drip with a cafetière—you know, one of those coffee contraptions you have to press down. She puts the coarsely ground coffee, cold water, and a few ice cubes in the pot and lets it sit for 12 to 24 hours before pressing it down.
Italian style
Want to go all out? Make an affogato: a scoop of good vanilla ice cream in a cup, topped with a piping-hot shot of espresso. Add a splash of marsala and you’re done! The perfect way to finish a dinner, especially if you’re fully embracing the Italian style.
Also read:
- Barbajada, Italian coffee with chocolate
- Coffee first, then breakfast? You’ll regret it!
- More things you can do with your ice cube tray
Image: Flickr
