All you need to know about making a cascara latte
The LeClair Organics Cascara Latte recipe is a specialty latte we hope starts to spread in popularity in cafes and homes. The flavour of the dried coffee berry also works exceptionally well in combination with the bean. It makes sense, they come from the same place. It is also a good point to note that the honey process of many higher end specialty coffees will leave some of the berry mucilage on during the drying process. Therefore the extra fruit flavour notes of these honey processed beans is due to a small part of the berry being left on during processing.
Cascara tea is the dried red coffee berry that is removed during coffee production and then usually discarded from most coffee estates. Our cascara tea and drinking cascara lattes therefore is part of a social entrepreneurial upcycle opportunity that create a new revenue stream from a previously discarded item. For all you need to know about the coffee berry and processing itself find more on are post here.
Cascara Latte Recipe
3 oz Cascara Tea
2 oz Double Shot of Espresso
3 0z milk
Optional: 1/3 oz vanila syrup
Instructions:
The instructions for this recipe are not too different from your regular lattes.
Brew Cascara Tea at a concentration of 20 grams to 200 ml (6.8 oz), therefore that will be enough for 2 servings of this recipe. Make as many servings as you would like at once at that concentration.
If you have a barista steam wand, then preheat your cup so the espresso doesn’t go cold. Pull a double shot of Espresso, and pour it in your latte glass. Pour your premade 3 oz cascara tea into the latte glass.
Add milk and any syrup ingredients to your frothing cup or device. Baristas with professional equipment will use a steam wand. At home you may use an automatic frothing machine, or simmer milk in a pot and use a hand frother. Pour the milk into your latte cup, perhaps make some latte art and then enjoy.
There are many very similar variations to this recipe that will simply change the type of milk fat used. We will extend the terminologies used for regular lattes to cascara tea lattes. These may include recipes such as a half and half cream cascara breve, a heavy cream cascara crème and a whipped cream cascara con panna. As well there are variations to which you may serve the foam of the steamed milk, or change the ratio of milk to espresso. Varying ratios and ways to present the cascara tea with steamed milk will result in different names such as a cascara cappuccino, cascara flat white or cascara macchiato recipes. A surprisingly tasty recipe variation without any initial milk is the cascara americano, which is the same as a Caffè Americano, however replace hot water with cascara tea.
Rum & Cascara Latte Cocktail
1.5 oz Premium Rum
2 oz Cascara Tea
2 oz Double Shot of Espresso
2.5 0z Half & Half Cream
1/3 oz Demerara Syrup
All instructions as the regular cascara latte apply. The only difference is you will add your spirits right at the end of frothing before pouring the cream into your latte cup. Technically this is more of a Caffè Breve style drink. Top with whipped cream if desired.
For a few more great boozy latte recipes check out our citrus cream liberica lattes post