As the evenings get darker, I like to make more warm drinks. My favorites are flavored coffees, and I often google for new coffee recipes to find something to create and try out. Today, I'm sharing a vanilla latte with a nice twist. A DIY Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte (recipe I found here, and adjusted to my needs/liking)
Ingredients (with my notes!)
Vanilla Cardamom Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom plus a few smashed pods
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
(I actually rather made a vanilla syrup, as that could be used in more than a syrup with cardamom. And I added the cardamom straight to the drink instead (to the syrup in my cup, before pouring the coffee.)
For the Latte
3-4 teaspoons Vanilla Cardamom syrup (or to taste)
1-2 shots espresso (I used regular coffee, that's fine too!)
1 cup hot frothed milk (mine wasn't frothed, and I used soy milk)
Whipped cream, for topping (didn't have nor need this)
Vanilla Sugar, for topping (didn't add this as I didn't have the cream)
"Make the syrup. In a saucepan bring the water, sugar and cardamom to a boil. I ground the cardamom as best as I could. In the end I also tossed a few sightly crushed pods in to infuse. Let boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain the mixture and pour into a sterilized jar. Keep refrigerated for up to one month.
Make the latte by pouring the espresso and syrup into a mug. Top with the hot frothed milk and foam. Add a swirl of whipped cream if desired and a sprinkle of vanilla sanding sugar. I didn't have sanding sugar so I used some vanilla powdered sugar." (Quote from the original recipe, not me talking there!)
This latte is so easy to make you don't even want to spend your money in the coffee shop (unless you go there for socializing, of course). I really love making Starbucks alternatives at home, as we don't have Starbucks where I live, but also, making the beverages at home in a reusable dishes decreases my carbon footprint as I don't cause more trash with my coffee cravings. Now I only need to switch the plastic straws into reusable ones some day. Once we more or less run out of straws I've already hoarded. Oops.
What's your favorite drink to make at home? Let me know in the comments!
That's all for this post, and in the next post, we'll see how my book declutter went. It's been refreshing going through the whole apartment and get the unnecessary stuff out of our life. It also gives a good chance to reflect on why I feel I need certain things, why I actually need certain things and how easy it really is to let go of things that don't hold that much meaning to me after all. More on that in the declutter posts, so go read them for more of my thoughts. And for the tea of how much of a hoarder I've actually been, as I feel I'm really exposing myself. I'll see you on my next post!
Have a lovely day ♥
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