We’re Done With Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Make This Instead., by Morgan Eckroth on YouTube. 14 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 14 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Combine 1 cup apple cider and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, about 2 minutes.
Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, 1 star anise pod and a few thin slices of ginger. Drop the heat to low so the syrup barely bubbles.
Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil hard or it will turn thick and sticky.
Take the pan off the heat, strain out the spices through a fine mesh strainer, and let the syrup cool. Pour it into a clean jar and keep it in the fridge.
For a warm latte, spoon 2 tablespoons of syrup into a mug and stir in a double shot of hot espresso until it dissolves.
Steam or froth about 6 ounces of milk to roughly 140 F (60 C), with a thin layer of foam on top. Pour it into the mug and spoon the foam over the surface.
For an iced latte, fill a tall glass with ice, add 2 tablespoons of syrup, then pour in 6 ounces of cold milk and a double shot of espresso. Stir well before drinking.
Tips and common mistakes
Taste the finished syrup once it cools and add a little more sugar if your cider is very tart.
Whole spices give a cleaner flavour than ground ones, which can turn the syrup cloudy and gritty.
Hot sugar syrup burns easily, so pour it slowly and keep children away from the pan.
The syrup keeps in the fridge for about two weeks, so label the jar with the date you made it.
Questions
Can I use apple juice instead of cider?
Yes. Cloudy apple cider gives the fullest apple flavour, but plain apple juice works and you may want slightly less sugar.
How much syrup goes in one drink?
Start with 2 tablespoons for a 10 to 12 ounce drink and adjust to taste. The syrup is sweet, so add it before the milk and stir well.
Can I make this without an espresso machine?
Yes. Brew very strong coffee in a moka pot or pour-over, using about double the usual amount of grounds for the same water.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
