You don't need an espresso machine or a trip to your favorite café to enjoy a really good drink. With a few pantry staples and about ten minutes, you can recreate some of the most popular café orders right in your own kitchen. Here are five drinks worth trying, a mix of coffee, tea and something else entirely, all doable without any special equipment.
1. Classic Iced Coffee
Prep time, about 10 minutes plus a bit of chilling time
This is the easiest one on the list and probably the drink you already crave on a hot afternoon.
What you need
● 1 cup strong brewed coffee
● 1 cup ice cubes
● 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until dissolved)
● A splash of milk or cream, any kind works
How to make it
Brew your coffee a little stronger than usual, since the ice will dilute it. Let it cool in the fridge for about fifteen minutes. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour the coffee over it, then stir in the syrup and milk to taste.
Tip. If you make coffee every morning, freeze the leftovers into ice cubes so your next iced coffee doesn't turn watery. No fresh coffee on hand? Two teaspoons of instant coffee stirred into a splash of hot water works just as well before you add the ice.
2. Iced Matcha Latte
Prep time, about 5 minutes
Matcha has taken over café menus everywhere, and it's actually simple to whisk up yourself.
What you need
● 1 ½ teaspoons matcha powder
● 2 tablespoons hot water, around 80°C, not boiling
● 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
● ¾ cup milk of your choice
● A handful of ice
How to make it
Sift the matcha into a small bowl to break up any clumps. Add the hot water and whisk briskly back and forth until it turns smooth and a little foamy. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the milk, stir in your sweetener, then pour the whisked matcha on top. Give it a quick stir before drinking.
Tip: A small whisk or even a milk frother works fine if you don't own a bamboo one.
3. Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da)
Prep time, about 10 minutes
This one is rich, sweet and a little different from your usual iced coffee, thanks to condensed milk.
What you need
● 2 tablespoons coarsely ground dark roast coffee
● 1 to 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
● Hot water
● Ice
How to make it
If you have a Vietnamese phin filter, pour the condensed milk into a glass first, set the filter on top with the coffee grounds inside, and slowly pour hot water over them. Let it drip for about five minutes. No phin filter? Just brew strong coffee using a French press or moka pot and stir it into the condensed milk instead, or dissolve two tablespoons of instant coffee in a little hot water for a quicker fix. Pour the mixture over a glass of ice and stir well.
Tip: Adjust the condensed milk to taste, more if you like it sweet, less if you prefer it bolder.
4. London Fog (Earl Grey Tea Latte)
Prep time, about 8 minutes
This one started in a Canadian coffee shop and quietly became a menu regular everywhere. It's basically Earl Grey tea dressed up with vanilla and warm milk.
What you need
● ½ cup hot water, just off the boil
● 1 to 2 teaspoons loose Earl Grey tea, or 1 tea bag
● ½ cup milk, any kind
● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
● Honey or sugar, to taste
How to make it
Steep the tea in the hot water for about 5 minutes, then remove the tea bag or strain out the leaves. Stir the vanilla and sweetener into the tea. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or the microwave until steaming, then froth it briefly with a whisk, frother or by shaking it in a sealed jar. Pour the frothed milk into the tea and stir gently.
Tip: Want it iced? Steep the tea strong, let it cool, then pour it over ice with cold milk and vanilla.
5. Golden Turmeric Latte
Prep time, about 5 minutes
Not everyone wants caffeine every day, and this cozy, non-coffee, non-tea option makes a nice change of pace.
What you need
● 1 cup milk of choice
● ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
● ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
● A pinch each of ground ginger and black pepper
● Honey, to taste
How to make it
Warm the milk gently in a small saucepan, don't let it boil. Whisk in the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper until fully dissolved. Take it off the heat, stir in the honey, and pour into a mug.
Tip: The pinch of black pepper actually helps your body absorb the turmeric better, so don't skip it.
Once you've got the basics down, feel free to play with the proportions until each drink tastes exactly like your favorite order. That's really the best part of making café drinks at home, you get to decide how sweet, how strong and how creamy every sip should be.
