Despite the fact that in European countries this invigorating drink began to be consumed only a couple of centuries ago, classic coffee has managed to be enriched with hundreds of different varieties and methods of preparation. Greek coffee stands apart, the real taste of which can only be appreciated when traveling to Hellas. Greece is a land of true connoisseurs of coffee pleasure: it is not for nothing that the Greeks have a common saying that good coffee is remembered for 40 years. What is the secret of local recipes? We'll find out in today's article.
Greek roots of coffee frappe
We have already talked about a step-by-step algorithm for making frappe coffee at home. Today the focus is on the classic drink recipe and variations based on it.
Frappe coffee is a modern invention.
- It was first prepared by Dimitrios Vakondios at a fair in Thessaloniki in 1957. He was not a barista, he just really wanted coffee between presentations, but there was no hot water.
- But at the stand where he worked there was a shaker. It was used to demonstrate one of the new drinks presented at the fair.
- The resourceful Greek diluted instant coffee with cold water, added sugar and shook the mixture in a shaker. The result of the manipulations was a cold drink with a high head of foam and a rich taste.
- The recipe quickly gained popularity in hot Greece. To make it more euphonious, the coffee was named in the French manner - “frappe”, which means chilled.
The French verb frappér means “to hit, to prick,” and in France itself the term frappe refers to all drinks with crushed ice, not just coffee. French cuisine has fruity, minty, alcoholic frappes, and they don't contain a drop of coffee.
Homemade frappe coffee recipe
To prepare an exemplary frappe based on natural coffee, we will need:
- Espresso – 50 ml or strong coffee brewed in a cezve at the rate of 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 100 ml of water. A drink prepared in a French press or geyser coffee maker is also suitable.
- Sugar – 1-2 teaspoons.
- Ice or very chilled water in a 1:1 ratio to coffee. If you like a strong drink, then take 2 parts coffee to 1 part water or ice.
A shaker or blender with a whisk attachment will come in handy, but if you don’t have one, prepare a container with a tight-fitting lid.
How to cook?
- We brew coffee in a cezve or infuse it in a French press; if you have a coffee machine, we prepare espresso.
- Strain the finished coffee. At this stage, you can add sugar or syrup, honey to the drink.
- Cool the coffee. It should be cold, not lukewarm.
- Pour coffee into a shaker, add finely crushed ice or add well-chilled water, which can first be placed in the freezer.
- Shake the mixture of coffee and ice.
- If you don't have a shaker, you can use a blender with a whisk attachment or place the coffee mixture in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously for a few minutes.
- The drink is ready when noticeable foam forms on its surface.
Instant coffee frappe
Frappe coffee can also be made at home from instant coffee, as was done for the first time.
What will you need?
- Instant coffee – 1.5 teaspoons.
- Cold water – 150 ml.
- Sugar – 2 teaspoons.
- Crushed ice - 2 tablespoons.
How to cook?
Option 1
- Pour instant coffee into a container, pour in water, add sugar and crushed ice.
- Close the container with a lid and shake vigorously until the coffee is completely dissolved.
- The ingredients can be shaken using a shaker or blender with a whipping attachment.
- If you don’t have kitchen equipment at hand, you can get frappe coffee by vigorously stirring it for a long time.
Option 2
There is another option for making frappe based on instant coffee
- Prepare instant coffee as usual - hot water, instant powder, sugar.
- Cool the drink.
- Add crushed ice or chilled water, 1/3 teaspoon of dry instant coffee and beat thoroughly using any of the above methods.
Instant coffee gives a high and dense foam, which frappe connoisseurs really like.
Classic Frappe recipe
Frappuccino (iced coffee frappe) from Icedream is a very quick and easy way to prepare an illuminating drink.
Ingredients:
- ice – 100 g;
- “Iced Coffee Frappe 3in1” mixture from Icedream – 50 g;
- milk – 150 ml.
Beat the ingredients in a blender for 30-60 seconds, then pour into a glass.
Iced Coffee Frappe with Salted Caramel from Icedream
Frappuccino (iced coffee frappe) with salted caramel from Icedream is a favorite new product for 2022.
Ingredients:
- ice – 100 g;
- “Iced Coffee Frappe 3in1” mixture from Icedream – 50 g;
- milk – 120 ml;
- “Salted caramel” topping Icedream – 30 gr.
Beat the ingredients in a blender for 30-60 seconds, then pour into a glass. The Greek cocktail can be decorated with mint or berries to taste.
Frappuccino (cold coffee frappe) with halva from Icedream
Frappuccino with Icedream halva is another new product this season.
Ingredients:
- ice – 100 g;
- “Iced Coffee Frappe 3in1” mixture from Icedream – 50 g;
- milk – 120 ml;
- topping “Halva” Icedream – 30 gr.
Beat the contents in a blender for 30-60 seconds - and the drink is ready!
You can experiment and add other suitable toppings:
- walnut;
- maple;
- caramel;
- hazelnut;
- chocolate.
The cocktail is decorated with pieces of berries or served in a classic form.
Where is frappe made?
The classic recipe can most often be found in the south of Europe - in Greece, sometimes in France or Spain, although there it is often called simply iced coffee. But in Cyprus you can taste the best frappe coffee in the world. So, at least, the Cypriots themselves say, sincerely considering the drink to be their national pride.
In the rest of Europe, the recipe has undergone significant modifications to suit local tastes. For the most part, it turned into a regular coffee shake with milk, syrup and crushed ice.
In Russian coffee shops you can encounter a wide variety of creative processing. So, before ordering a frappe coffee, be sure to find out what is hidden under this name in a particular coffee shop or bar. Sometimes frappe on the menu may be called Greek coffee.
What is the secret of popularity?
Frappe stands out from other refreshing cocktails. Its advantage is its coffee base, thanks to which the drink combines all the benefits of this invigorating drink, as well as a refreshing summer cocktail.
Frappe:
- has an invigorating and tonic effect;
- helps to cool down on a hot, sultry day;
- saturates the body with useful substances thanks to natural additives (berries, fruits, nuts).
Dairy recipes and cocktails with ice cream have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, contain calcium, B vitamins, trace elements, animal fats, amino acids and useful minerals.
The pleasant subtle taste lifts your mood, helps you relax, relieves fatigue, and helps cope with stress.
How to make coffee frappe with milk
The original frappe recipe did not include cream or milk, but over time they began to add them to give the drink more softness and tenderness.
To prepare frappe with cream and milk, you will need:
- Freshly brewed coffee – 50 ml
- Crushed ice or very chilled water – 35-40 ml
- Sugar - to taste
- Cream or milk – 35-40 ml.
How to cook?
- Brew, strain and cool the coffee.
- Shake coffee with ice or very chilled water.
- Pour frappe into a cup.
- Carefully pour in milk or cream along the edge of a knife.
The milk component can be poured in just before whipping. Then the resulting foam will have a delicate milky taste.
Basic principles
This drink is constantly being improved and acquires new flavor variations. When you make frappe coffee, the recipe can be anything, but one of two basic algorithms must be used for each.
In the first case, a cup of regular instant coffee is first prepared and then turned into a frappe. The second option assumes that all ingredients are mixed at once.
There are different opinions about what kind of espresso should be used to make frappe: cold or hot. Coffee connoisseurs are more inclined to the second option. In any case, the taste will be different, so you will have to try it yourself to determine what you like best.
By the way, the following varieties of frappe stand out:
- glyco (sweet);
- metrios (medium amount of sugar);
- picros (bitter – no added sugar);
- me gala (with milk);
- khoris gala (without milk).
How to Serve Frappe Coffee
The temperature of the drink brings it closer to cocktails, so cocktail glasses are most often used to serve frappe coffee. The high foam is clearly visible in them.
- Drink the drink through a straw.
- A serving option could be an elongated ceramic cup, for example, a latte cup.
- Frappe is often served over ice. To do this, place several large cubes directly into a glass, and then pour coffee on top of the ice.
- Frappes are complemented by delicate flavors, so you can choose strudel with ice cream or cheesecake as a dessert. For those on a diet, marshmallows or marshmallows are suitable. Lovers of Italian desserts can opt for panna cotta or tiramisu. An excellent combination of frappe coffee and French dessert creme brulee with baked caramel crust.
Submission rules
There are several simple rules by following which you can fully enjoy the airy drink:
- To improve the taste, the coffee cocktail is best served in ice-cold glasses. And for aesthetic pleasure, you should use transparent glasses to see the beautiful thick foam;
- If you cook from natural freshly brewed Arabica or Robusta, the liquid should not be hot;
- You need to drink through a straw. And for a cocktail with berries or fruits, use a thick straw to avoid getting stuck;
- It is better to add crush ice to the coffee drink. If you don’t have an ice machine at hand, you can use regular molds. After freezing, put the ice cubes in a bag and break them into small pieces with a rolling pin;
- In addition to a delicate and aromatic coffee cocktail, desserts are perfect. Such as tiramisu, creme brulee or cheesecake.
Properties of coffee frappe
What properties does the drink have?
- The calorie content of frappe prepared according to the classic recipe does not exceed 2 kcal per serving. If 1 teaspoon of sugar is added to coffee, the calorie content increases to 20-22 kcal. Any additives - cream, milk - increase the calorie content of a serving.
- The caffeine content in a cup of frappe ranges from approximately 60 to 120 mg, depending on the type of coffee beans.
- has a pronounced coffee taste Instant coffee frappe may taste slightly sour.
- Frappe coffee is often served as a cooling drink on hot days. The low temperature of coffee can slow down digestion, so you shouldn't drink it after meals. It's better to treat yourself to an iced coffee taste in between meals. Coffee reduces appetite, which is why it is loved by those who have to adhere to dietary restrictions.
Taste experiments
Frappe is the author's fantasy. There are a lot of cooking methods, you can add different toppings according to your preferences. The most popular:
- Cinnamon;
- Honey;
- Caramel;
- Nutmeg;
- Fresh seasonal fruits;
- Condensed milk;
- Syrups to choose from (the choice in stores is now quite large);
- Vanilla sugar;
- Ice cream;
- Cocoa powder.
This is not a complete list of what you can experiment with when preparing frappe.
Conclusion
- Frappe is cold coffee shaken with ice or very chilled water until foam appears.
- Low in calories, caffeine content is approximately equal to a standard shot of espresso.
- It invigorates and cools well.
- Can be consumed in the first half of the day, between meals.
- The taste is rich, the aroma is weak.
- Can be prepared at home.
- Coffee shops under this name can serve a variety of cocktails based on coffee, milk, toppings and ice.
Have you already tried frappe coffee?
