I drink an excessive amount of lattes, I’ll admit it! It’s the one indulgence I don’t skip no matter what my diet situation is. I love the caffeine and there’s something about a hot flavored latte that warms you up in the morning. Since my husband and I both love lattes, we purchased a nice espresso machine for our home so we don’t go broke buying coffee. I still buy lattes out once a week or so, but for the other mornings I make them at home.
When we first started making them at home, we bought syrups off Amazon from Ghirardelli or Torani. They aren’t bad, don’t get me wrong! But I prefer a home made syrup because it contains no preservatives and has a more natural taste. After a bit of trial-and-error, I have formulated 3 recipes which are seasonally appropriate and happen to be some of my favorite flavors.
In my opinion, two things make or break a good latte: 1 – a good syrup and 2 -the espresso. Obviously it’s important to have a quality brew as the base of a latte. I like it to be strong but not bitter. Smooth with hints of flavor. I love using Joe Van Gogh espresso at home, which is locally roasted and available for purchase online as well as at several stores throughout the Triangle. The taste is perfect and although it’s a little pricey than other blends from a big box store, I think the quality is well worth the money.
When you make home made syrups, keep in mind that they don’t necessary look appetizing in a container, but I promise you’ll get an authentic taste! For example, the coconut syrup I have here is very dark because the base simple syrup is made with coconut sugar which is dark like brown sugar. Another thing to keep in mind is that home made syrups can separate a little when you store them. So give the bottle a shake before you make your coffee at home.
Don’t have an espresso machine at home? You can absolutely use these in your regular cup of coffee. If you’re looking for an espresso machine to purchase, I highly recommend the Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista. I am in no way sponsored by them, I just think they have a great product that’s easy to use and it’s affordable compared to some of the machines you can buy at home. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Espresso-Cappuccino-Barista/dp/B007K9OIMU
OK, so now we can finally discuss how to make these syrups! Each recipe is slightly different, but they all start with a simple syrup over the stove which is just a fancy way of saying equal parts sugar and water.
TOASTED ALMOND SYRUP:
To make the toasted almond syrup, I start of toasting my almonds in the oven. This only takes a few minutes but really boosts the almond flavor!
Then heat the simple syrup over the stove until the sugar is completely dissolved. While that is heating up, pulse the toasted almonds in a food processor. This will help open them up to release their flavor into the syrup.
Now add them to the simple syrup, turn the heat off, and let the almonds steep in the syrup for 2-4 hours. Almonds have a subtle flavor, so they need to steep longer in the syrup than some of the other syrups.
Once they’re done steeping, Filter the almonds out in a sieve/mesh strainer.
COCONUT SYRUP
This syrup is pretty easy! As mentioned before, start with a simple syrup of coconut sugar and water. This bag is from Harris Teeter, which I love for organic items because they have really fair prices on their house brand.
Once you have the simple syrup dissolved and heated, I add in 2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut. You could also try the frozen kind that’s a bit more “authentic” but this is what I had on hand and it worked. I steeped it for about an hour, then strained it the same way I did the almond syrup. I know it looks gross, just trust me on this one!
PUMPKIN SPICE SYRUP
This is surprisingly the easiest one of all 3 recipes! There is no straining or seeping involved because the pumpkin puree nicely thins out into the syrup. To be honest, this syrup reminds me of pumpkin pie filling without the eggs and dairy. Which is exactly what I look for in a PSL. So channel your inner basic b*tch and enjoy this latte at home! All you do for this one is combine all the ingredients together over medium heat and whisk until it starts to boil, then remove it from the heat and store in a jar.
Toasted Almond Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups raw almonds
Instructions
- Spread out raw almonds on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Remove the almonds from the oven and pulse in a food processor until they are mostly halved or in large chunks but not finely ground.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat, and stir in the pulsed and toasted almonds.
- Let the mixture steep for 2-3 hours. Strain the almonds out through a sieve or fine mesh strainer. Store the syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Coconut Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil while stirring, then remove from heat after 1 minute.
- Stir in the shredded coconut and let it steep for 1-2 hours. Strain the coconut out through a sieve or fine mesh strainer. Store in the fridge when not using.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- pinch ground cloves
- pinch ground ginger
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all ingredients. Bring to a boil while constantly whisking until all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and store in the fridge until ready to use.
