With multiple artisanal coffee shops dotting our cities, savouring a freshly made cup of coffee has been enhanced as an experience. Whether you’re a coffee fiend or someone who enjoys a hot cup occasionally, coffee is one of the most important activities we engage in to start our days. When you’re rushing to get things done before shuttling out of the house in the morning, the dependency on our coffee maker to provide some fuel, is much higher than we give credit for. But coffee doesn’t always have to be a bunch of roasted beans brewed in hot water; it can be a cup that has so much character, even if you’re making some at home. Here’s how:
Spice It Up
Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon powder, cardamom pods or even some vanilla to your cuppa Joe, for a coffee that not only tastes incredible, but also smells amazing. If you’re someone who uses a French press, add some dry ginger or orange zest to your grind, before pouring in the water.
Use A Frother
Especially in the case of instant coffee, using a frothing wand to make some fluff on top of your iced or hot coffee is only a matter of spending three extra minutes. What’s more – you don’t even need to pull out the big equipment for this. Simply add your coffee, hot water and sugar to a cup and froth the mixture until it thickens. Pour the milk over this foamy mixture for the most deliciously airy drink.
Butter Or Chocolate
For a full-bodied experience, add some richness to your coffee with a tablespoon of butter, or simply add a few squares of chocolate to your hot coffee, for a deeper flavour. Butter and chocolate add a silken texture to the coffee, while also making it feel like a treat, that you can enjoy in solitude. The butter also adds a nutty flavour, enhancing the smoky roasted flavour of the beans.
Add Condensed Milk
We’ve all come to familiarise ourselves with the virtues of a solid Vietnamese cold brew and the joy of adding condensed milk to coffee. The sweet condensed milk, against the bitter, dark coffee works wonders like no other. Condensed milk also adds a creamy, dessert-like finish to your coffee, making it perfect to sway those sugar cravings.
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Grind It Yourself
Perhaps the most fundamental of all principles for the best cup of homemade coffee, is to dry roast and grind your own coffee beans. This allows you to have more control over the type of grind you’re looking for – with a finer consistency better suited to espresso and a coarsely ground mixture being ideal for French press or cold brew. Although it might be difficult to do this on an everyday basis, it is much easier to spend some time pottering about on the weekends to make a batch of your weekly quota and enjoy all its natural oils and robust flavours.
Add Syrups
Those who prefer their coffee to have a touch of sweetness can experiment with adding a shot of maple syrup, vanilla syrup or hazelnut syrup to their coffees. Stock up on a couple of bottles of different flavours, to add some variety and pizzazz to your brew; which works both for hot and cold coffee recipes.