Let’s see what it takes to prepare the best iced coffee! First, you will need high-quality coffee. The choice of the blend to use is important and responds to the personal tastes of each of us. Some prefer a more enveloping and full-bodied taste, while others like to wake up with a touch of aromaticity. Some say dark roast coffee is just perfect for this recipe. Therefore, feel free to use your favourite coffee, since almost all qualities work just fine! You can also use decaffeinated coffee, which allows you to prepare a decaf iced coffee.
It is better to prepare your coffee the night before, making use of high-quality coffee beans. The best method to prepare a delicious cold brew consists in leaving your coffee grounds steeping overnight in room temperature water. Cold water will slowly extract only the most premium peculiarities of your coffee, delivering a rich and smooth drink without bitterness and astringent notes. Tips for a hassle-fee home preparation? Add 100 g (3,5 oz) ground coffee and 600 ml (20 oz) cold water to a large French Press cafetiere. Cover and leave steeping for about 10/12 hrs. When ready, set the plunger on the cafetiere and gently plunge to separate the grounds from the drink. Pour the drink in a bottle and store in the fridge for max one week. The cold brew obtained is a concentrate that must be diluted, according to your taste, with 1 or 2 parts water.
Otherwise, if you are looking for fancy coffee tools, you can also use the water drip system to prepare a ready to drink cold brew. After about 3 hours cold percolation, you will enjoy a delicate tumbler of a thirst-quenching iced coffee! See the video in the link to discover how it works.
In case you have your own coffee grinders, feeling particularly daring and really want to make your cup as tasty as possible, you can make use of whole beans and grind them yourself. You might wonder if freshly ground coffee beans are to be considered the best choice. Well, they taste better, though there is nothing wrong with using filter ground coffee.
Sugar and milk are optional. You can use regular granulated sugar as well as brown sugar, though plain or flavoured sugar syrup is another option. The syrup form, including suitable flavours, such as vanilla, cinnamon or hazelnut, is suggested, since granulated sugar won’t dissolve when putting it directly into your iced coffee. According to your preference, taste and needs, any kind of milk works well! You can add regular whole milk but almond or coconut milk, can also make your iced coffee delicious. You can consider a few add-ins, and eventually include a couple teaspoons of cream or a lustful spoonful of ice cream.
What type of ice should you use for your iced coffee? Choosing the most suitable one is essential! It is possible to pick among a few options, namely crushed ice, medium-sized ice cubes– this is what people usually have on hand in their freezer – or blocks of large ice, suitable when you’re about to enjoy your iced coffee outside after preparing it, since they are slower to melt. Another thing you can do is make your own coffee ice cubes, by simply cooling some coffee after pouring it in an ice tray and freezing it. They will prevent you from getting a watered-down effect.
At this point, all you have to do is fill a tall glass – definitely the most appropriate one – with ice to the rim and pour your coffee into the glass almost to the top. Now, pour in the milk and sugar if you feel like adding them.
The moment in which the swirls of liquids melt together and sink to the bottom is all yours. Mix in and enjoy.
