There is good and bad in every mouthful of caramel.
The good? It's sweet, indulgent and delicious. It's an age-old sweet treat that people have been enjoying for generations.
The bad? It's gooey and gets messy when hot. It can get stuck in your teeth and be difficult to eat!
The best caramel coffee gives you all of the good and none of the bad! You can bring all the flavor to your coffee and it's contained safely inside those sweet, sweet beans. Less mess, more mmm!
What is Caramel?
We make caramel by heating and cooling different types of sugars. This tells us that caramel in its pure form is not too healthy!
The science behind the treat follows a process called caramelization. This process simply describes the heating of sugars. The sugars are heated to around 340 degrees F. As this happens, the molecules break down, then re-form into new compounds. This causes a color change and also changes the consistency of the sweet.
This is how it becomes soft and stringy, and perfect to fill sweets or top puddings with.
Caramel coloring and flavoring are one of the oldest known flavors. It's widely used because it goes with just about anything. Surprisingly, it's used to give beer its golden hue and is even used to brown gravy. You'll find caramel flavoring in doughnuts, cough sweets and vinegar.
How is Caramel Added to the Beans?
To add this handy little caramel flavor to coffee, the flavor is added directly to the bean. The flavor could be natural or could be created in a lab. Coffee beans are roasted and then flavored. The beans are cooled before the flavoring is added, as high temperatures can burn some of the flavoring.
The beans are placed in a mixer while the flavoring is dripped into the pot. This process usually takes 15-30 minutes, or until all beans are completely coated.
During the roasting process, the caramel notes are brought out by the skilled roasters. They follow each step to perfection to guarantee a great cup every time. However, the process begins way before the actual processing. In fact, the way the beans are grown also influences the caramel flavor.
The coffee plants are grown in rich soil with high potassium levels. A balanced pH of the soil allows the coffee plant to absorb the minerals it needs. The coffee cherries are only harvested at peak ripeness. This allows all of the sugars to fully absorb into the beans and enhance the flavor.
The processing method used is the honey process or the "semi-washed". Here, the process leaves a thin layer of sugar which helps to sweeten the bean as it's dried.
Why Try Caramel Coffee?
You can buy coffee beans that have been infused with caramel. Read on and I'll explain exactly why you might want to do such a thing!
- Salted caramel coffee gives you all the indulgence without the guilt. The coffee beans are bursting with delicious flavor and that caramel overtone. While caramel isn't good for the waistline, caramel coffee gives you nothing to worry about. One 10 oz cup only contains around 20 calories and 0g of fat.
- There's no need to make your own. The experts infuse the coffee beans with caramel flavoring to create the best caramel coffee. All you need to do is grind the beans (if you wish) and brew them with hot water!
- Though, you can make your own if you prefer your coffee homemade. Add caramel syrup to your regular cup of coffee, or even make your own syrup if you're feeling adventurous! This is a fairly simple process of melting sugar with a drizzle of corn syrup. Then add some water, vanilla and a small pinch of salt.
- Many types of coffee have a hint of caramel anyway. It's worth going the whole hog and buying the caramel flavor straight up! Regular coffee beans cooked to a Vienna roast have smooth caramel notes. It's a popular flavor for good reason.
There are many variations you can try, so get creative! A caramel iced coffee is a perfect sweet treat for the summer. You can create an even more luxurious cup by making a caramel mocha, cappuccino or other milky drink. Add whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles to your heart's content!
How to Make best Caramel Coffee
It's a common misconception that low-quality beans are used for flavored coffee. Often, coffee snobs will turn up their nose and proclaim that good beans are wasted on flavored coffee! This isn't true. Usually, 100 % Arabica beans are used so the flavor is delicate enough to pronounce the caramel taste.
Beans for caramel coffee are generally cooked at a medium roast, which adds to the caramelization of the beans.
You can pick up these high-quality coffee beans from most stores or online. Follow this simple caramel coffee recipe to get the most out of your jar. The recipe is flexible. Choose your favorite brewing method so you can make it whichever way works for you!
You will need:
- Ground or whole caramel coffee beans (approx. 2 tsp)
- Grinder (if necessary)
- Water (1 cup)
- Kettle
- Your favorite coffee brewer. E.g. drip coffee maker, French press, saucepan
- Heated cup
| The Method |
|---|---|
1. | If you bought whole coffee beans, grind them just before brewing. Only grind what you need and go for a sugar-like consistency. |
2. | Boil the water and let it cool for one minute. |
3. | Brew the coffee according to your brewer's instructions. Take your time, and wet the coffee beans before pouring the rest of the water on. Allow it to steep for about four minutes before pouring. |
4. | Pour the brewed coffee into a heated cup and enjoy the delicious caramel aroma! Add milk or cream if you like. Sugar is optional, but you may find that your coffee is sweet enough! |
A More Decadent Caramel Coffee
You've probably noticed how the large coffee chains take caramel coffee to new heights. They know that caramel is luxurious, so why not play on that trait? Here, I'm going to show you how to make a caramel macchiato coffee. This is a recipe that will truly delight the taste buds and satisfy the sweet tooth!
It's easier than you think. For this recipe, we're going to use an espresso machine to speed things up.
You will need:
- Ground coffee or coffee pod
- Milk (2/3 cup)
- Vanilla syrup (1 tbsp)
- Caramel sauce
- Espresso machine with steaming wand
- Espresso cup
- Heated coffee cup
- Spoon
| The Method |
|---|---|
1. | Pull your shot of espresso. Follow the guidelines of your espresso machine and use high-quality coffee. Go for caramel coffee beans if you wish, or use regular coffee. We're going to add some caramel syrup to the drink anyway. |
2. | Add your vanilla syrup into the warm cup. |
3. | Use the steaming wand to froth the milk. Pour the hot milk into your cup and then follow it with foam. You can use the spoon here to hold the froth back if it helps. |
4. | Pour in your shot of espresso. |
5. | Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and it's ready to drink! |
The Bottom Line
The best caramel coffee is rich, creamy and delicious. It comes without added sweeteners, so no need to worry about the sugar or fat content! For an extra treat, add frothy milk and flavored syrup.
The caramel flavor begins before the roasting process starts. The growing conditions of the coffee plant also lead towards to the final flavor. Then the expert roasters do their thing and enhance it even more!
Add this sweet, traditional flavor into your coffee and let us know what you think!