I’m somewhere in the middle, because I only enjoy them if they’re made from high-quality coffee – none of those artificial flavors that most bulk products usually contain.
So I decided to put my own spin on one of my most popular online viral recipes, the famous dalgona coffee that had everyone frantically hitting instant coffee, sugar and water during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown.
Originally, this mixture, which eventually becomes a smooth cream, was meant to be added with hot water and drunk like regular coffee.
But on reflection, I figured adding a really good specialty espresso and whipped cream would transform this from a tasty drink to a rich dessert.
However, the problem was that I didn’t want to use too much caffeine, so I took decaffeinated instant coffee as opposed to espresso, even though it could work the other way around.
The end result was similar in taste to the delicious ice crema caffè found in traditional Italian cafes.
The presentation looks lovely topped with chocolate chips or three coffee beans – but it also tastes delicious topped with hot chocolate powder like I did.
Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients
Decaffeinated instant coffee
Espresso brew of your choice of coffee machine (instead of hot water)
Sugar
Double cream
Instructions
This recipe was a small experiment for me, so I mainly looked at the quantities. But with the dalgona recipe, you simply mix equal parts of instant coffee, sugar and water, or in this case, espresso.
Then beat these ingredients until they form thick cream, as well as double cream.
Mix the cream with the Dalgona mixture and you get a delicious (strong tasting) coffee.
For this test, I used the Philips 5500 LatteGo Bean to Cup coffee maker, which is an absolutely delightful device, whether you’re a coffee lover or not.
This stylish gadget makes the life of every busy person easier, as its options vary from Ristretto to Iced Latte Macchiato and the possibility to use your own travel mug.
This sophisticated machine is equipped with the Aroma Extract system, which keeps the water temperature between 90°C and 98°C “to achieve the perfect balance of taste and aroma”.
The Philips 5500 LatteGo Bean to Cup Coffee Maker is available in store and online at Currys and Amazon for £649.99.
If this nifty gadget isn’t for you, other more affordable options include the Delonghi Magnifica Evo ECAM290.61.SB Bean to Cup for £399 or the Nespresso by Magimix CitiZ coffee machine which retails for £159.