This easy recipe is for anyone trying to ditch an expensive coffee chain iced coffee habit. I can’t promise you free wi-fi and a comfy seat, but I can promise a beautiful taste and pennies in your pocket.
- 75 g whole roasted coffee beans or 75g/2.65 oz coarse grind good coffee
- 750 ml water
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For the best, smoothest flavour, use a coarse setting. Or as I do with my old coffee grinder, just letting it whirr for a short while, shaking the whole thing! The normal grind used for cafetières or coffee pots is too fine and will result in a bitter brew. You can use pre-ground from the shop, but it’s difficult to get them so coarsely ground. Most coffee shops will grind beans to your preference.
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Pop the grounds into the French press (or large jug) and cover with the water. Give it a gentle stir then cover with some cling film and set aside in a cool room - out of direct sunlight (which would ‘cook’ the brew) - and let it infuse for about 12 hours. You can get away with as little as six hours and as long as 24, but 12 seems best.
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If using the French press (highly recommended – less fuss), secure the plunger on top and gently, gently depress until the grounds are wedged underneath. Put a fine sieve over a jug or pan, line with muslin cloth - or use a coffee filter/jelly bag - and pour the coffee slowly into the sieve. You can skip this if you don’t mind a little sediment. If you are using a jug, two sievings is recommended. Pour into a sealable glass or ceramic container and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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This is where you can customize to your heart’s content. Whether you have it straight or add flavours, I would recommend diluting the concentrate at least 1:1 with water or something milky. I do the coffee concentrate as decaf so this isn’t so necessary, but is definitely needed for a caffeinated drink. See below for easy ways to jazz it up.
Optional: dairy or non-dairy milk; evaporated milk; coconut milk; flavoured simple syrup (to sweeten like coffee shops); extracts/powders/drops such as vanilla, cardamom, hazelnut, chocolate, cinnamon, Christmas spice; liqueurs such as Kahlua. You can also infuse roughly ground cocoa nibs with the coffee to impart a chocolatey taste.
Some of you will prefer 2:1 - water to coffee. Also, some people find that, due to lower acidity compared to hot-brewed coffee, cold-brewed coffee is sweet enough as is.
Fripperies On-the-rocks is fab, but here are a few ideas to try:
Coffee Addict. Pour some coffee over coffee ice cubes (made from either an earlier batch of concentrate or any leftover coffee you have) and top up with a little water or milk.
Vanilla Frappe. Add a few drops of vanilla extract (or vanilla powder), ice cubes and 1-2 stoned dates and whiz coffee in a high-speed blender (I used my Froothie). If you don’t have a powerful blender do use a liquid sweetener as the dates will be ‘bitty’.
Chocolate-Mint. Add one drop each of peppermint extract and chocolate extract (or a chocolate syrup) and any liquid sweetener. Blend with ice, or pour over ice.
Silk Road. Add a pinch of ground cardamom or cinnamon and any liquid sweetener to the cold brew concentrate, along with some ice. Blend until completely smooth. As silk.
Some Like It Hot. Cold-brewed coffee concentrate actually makes a fabulous hot drink too! Dilute with hot water – a super mellow but rich drink. The best instant coffee I can think of.
Simple Stuff. I like mine diluted 1:1 with skimmed evaporated milk and a drop of pure liquid stevia. On the rocks.