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Author:
Kaelin Harris
Summer is fast approaching and you know what that means, right? Trading your coffee for something else! Oh, don’t worry; we don’t mean you have to opt for something else instead of coffee. Nope. Quite the contrary.
How about you continue enjoying your brew, just cool it down. An iced coffee. That’s what we’re talking about! Now, you might be thinking, “what’s so special about a coffee that’s been chilled?”.
Well, that depends on how you take your coffee, and ultimately, what’s special about a cold coffee, is determined by you.
So, listen, we’re going to give you the scoop: there’s a way to up the ante on your cup of joe. How? With cold foam.
It’s the latest add-on option being offered nationwide at Starbucks stores. With the cost amounting to 50 cents for this delicious little extra, it’s well worth it.
Cold foam is made by whipping non-fat milk into an almost ice cream-like consistency and situating it atop your brew. It just sits there, enticing you to drink your coffee whilst getting a mouthful of the sweet delectability that is cold foam.
The short answer is no. Cold foam isn’t like whipped cream because it’s made from non-fat milk. You’re doing away with all the added calories and sugar that whipped cream provides.
It is a milk-based foam and, operating in much the same way you’d get whipped cream on your hot brews, cold foam also eventually morphs from its soft, pillowy meringue-like texture and disperses into the drink itself.
Absolutely! This is most certainly something that you can do in a DIY fashion in your own kitchen. The key is to always opt for non-fat, 1 percent, or 2 percent milk. It seems counterproductive to use a non-fat or very low-fat dairy product to whip up into something fluffy and tasty, and yet, it’s the easiest way to make cold foam in the comfort of your abode.
Why is this? Well, the idea is that lower fat milk forms larger foam bubbles when aerating, making it easier to whip up into a foam without the expensive professional tools you see at Starbucks.
There are three ways in which cold foam can be whipped up at home. The first is by simply placing it into an electric frothing machine, selecting the correct function, and letting it do its thing. Easy as…pie?
More like, ‘easy as cold foam in a frothing machine’! Well, that is, if you have an electric frothing machine. If not, that’s okay, because there are two other methods that produce the same results.
The second way is to use a handheld frother. Yes, this way works incredibly well too. All you have to do is fill a glass with some non-fat milk – enough to submerge the wand in, at least – and froth away.
When it’s reached its peak, it’ll be all puffed up and look soft and fluffy. That’s how you’ll know that the cold foam is ready to be perched atop your cold brew.
And finally, using a blender produces froth just as well as a hand-held frother and magical frothing machine. All you need to do, is pour in your milk, cover with the lid and blend for 15 to 30-second intervals or until the desired foam-like consistency is achieved. Pour into your drink and begin sipping.
In short, cold foam can be added to any chilled or iced drink at Starbucks, (and at home if you’ve made your own version).
As mentioned before, it does dissipate into the drink – similar to how whipped cream melts into hot coffee – so it’s better to drink it sooner rather than later, just to ensure you get the very best of this delicious, low-calorie topping.
Imagine a thick, soft, sweet, puff of whipped goodness, floating on top of your tasty, rich, smoky iced coffee. Now imagine those flavors combined and you have yourself an idea of what cold foam tastes like.
It’s important to note that cold foam, due to its buoyancy and ability to float majestically on the surface of your iced coffee, must be enjoyed from the top down, so drinking your chilled brew with a straw isn’t going to give you the full effects of cold foam.
Starbucks has, luckily for us, designed a special lid that facilitates the maximum enjoyment of cold foam. Hooray!
Here’s the deal: summer is right around the corner and no one likes to switch from their favorite drink without good cause. The weather tends to dictate what it is we’re in the mood for, food and drink-wise but again, that doesn’t mean you have to forego your brew.
Just make small adjustments and in the curious case of cold foam and coffee, the adjustment is 1) chilling your cuppa, and 2) pulling out all the stops on what you put on top.
The bottom line is this: you want to evolve your taste receptors, to step outside of the flavor profile box, so to speak. Cold foam is a sure-fire way to experience an entirely new dimension in the world of coffee.
It’s a dollop of fun and fancy, a serving of delicious without all the unnecessary extras – and we’re talking sugar and calories here – because cold foam is definitely a necessary extra you need to try!
Starbucks is Dropping New Cold Foam and You Can Add it to Any Iced Coffee Drink
https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/starbucks-is-launching-cold-foam-and-you-can-add-it-to-any-iced-coffee-drink
Here’s How to Make Your Own Cold Foam
https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/heres-how-to-make-your-own-cold-foam
What the Heck is Cold Foam? Starbucks Just Added an Intriguing Option for Iced Drinks
https://www.popsugar.com/food/What-Starbucks-Cold-Foam-44778813