Recipe #3: Iced Latte with Vanilla Cold Foam

Cafecito + homemade vanilla syrup & cold foam = Perfection!

THEY’RE ALL THE SAME

I know you’re probably sick of seeing lattes on every menu and social media feeds - BUT please bear with me for a minute. Yes, this is a latte, but we are making it with our Cuban cafecito as the base, topped with completely homemade vanilla syrup and cold foam. It’s a game changer.

SHOULD I OR SHOULDN’T I?

I’ve been struggling a little bit on deciding what my menu will look like. On the one hand, I want to create a cozy home for my bookish girlies (and guys) including the full, expansive coffee experience. On the other, I’m really want to lean into my Spanish roots and keep it simple stupid (KISS). I’m not a barista by trade, just a girl who grew up making coffee for everyone even when she didn’t drink it herself.

If you follow my social media at all, you know that I’m firmly on team ‘struggles to find an identity’. My bookish posts for the nook are deeply personal, written in my actual voice (not some dry corporate brand voice), and the aesthetic is always synonymous with my mood of the day. I’m all feels and no strategy, which can be both a blessing and a curse.

But being the positive person I aim to be, I’m finding the silver lining in my storefront search stalling. It is giving me the rare opportunity to trial & error ingredients, recipes, and timing. More importantly, it’s letting me figure out what I genuinely enjoy making and drinking, so I can decide what is worth it and what’s really just fluff. I can’t and won’t offer every coffee option. Some things just aren’t within my skill set (yet) and others just aren’t on brand. This latte is a part of that journey: one simple drink that I know for a fact I want on my menu.

More variations will follow, so keep an eye out for future posts featuring an iced dulce de leche latte and an iced cafe con leche.

Tools You'll Need 
-Espresso machine or moka pot (this recipe uses an espresso machine)
-Puck screen & scale
-Distribution tools: needles, leveler, and/or tamper (all, some, or none)
-Pitchers: 20oz stainless steel pitcher & 8oz bell pitcher
-Spoon
-Ice machine (fridge or standalone)
-Serving cup/glass
-Electric handheld frother

Ingredients
-16g of finely ground dark roast coffee (Cafe La Llave is preferred)
-20oz of white granulated sugar
-Water 
-1.5oz homemade vanilla syrup (divided 1oz for drink base & 0.5oz for the cold foam)
-4oz of heavy whipping cream
-6oz of milk (your choice, plus a dash for the cold foam)
-1/2 tsp of powdered sugar
-Ice

Instructions

1. Craft the base: Start by making a cuban cafecito. You can follow my previous recipe post here or watch the full tutorial here.

2. Prep the glass: Pour 1oz of homemade vanilla syrup directly into the bottom of your serving glass or mug. Totally ok if use a store-bought syrup with the flavor of your choosing.

   

3. Build the vanilla cold foam: In the 20oz stainless steel pitcher, combine the 4oz of heavy whipping cream, 1/2 oz of homemade vanilla syrup, 1/2 tsp of powdered sugar, and a splash of milk.

4. Froth to perfection: Submerge the electric frother and whip the mixture for 30-60 seconds until it transforms into a thick, velvety vanilla cold foam. Set aside.

   

5. Mix and smooth: Combine your fresh cafecito and 6oz of milk together first. This is the secret to ensuring the flavors taste smooth with every sip.

6. Assemble Over Ice: Pour the coffee and milk directly over the vanilla syrup base and add ice until the top.

   

7. The Grand Finale: Carefully layer your vanilla cold foam over the top of the iced latte.

   Voila! Iced Latte with Vanilla Cold Foam, Cubanito Style.

For the full video tutorial on how to bring this Iced Latte with Vanilla Cold Foam to life, check out my latest reel here on my Instagram.

P.S. If you want to take this to the next level, I’ll be sharing my favorite recipes for homemade syrups very soon!