Just as coffee lovers bond over talking about good coffee, they can sometimes fall out when they disagree about what can be considered good or bad coffee. Some people feel very strongly that syrups and flavourings should never be used when making coffee. Whilst others feel they can add additional layers of flavours that improve and complement coffee’s flavour. At Amore Coffee, we think that the perfect cup of coffee probably doesn’t need any added syrups or spices, but syrups and spices aren’t all bad either. Variety is the spice of life – and so is spice – so we’d like to make a few suggestions for syrups and spices to add to your coffee. Maybe we’ll convince a few of the sceptic…
Coffee + Chocolate
When coffee and chocolate meet we have a mocha, one of the most popular ways to drink coffee. A mocha is somewhere between a hot chocolate and a latte, combining cocoa and espresso coffee. The flavours complement each other so perfectly that many people erroneously think that the coffee plant and the cocoa plant are related to each other. Mochas are perfect if you’re in the mood for coffee but would like something a little sweeter and more indulgent. You can even buy chocolate-coated coffee beans – that’s how well these flavours go together!
Coffee + Coconut
When coffee meets coconut the two flavours blend together perfectly. There is something natural, but subtly, sweet about both coffee and coconut, so these flavours go perfectly together. If you like your coffee milky, why not add a dribble of coconut milk or creamed coconut. Stir it in or blend it in for a smooth, creamy finish. The coconut seems to enhance and almost intensify the coffee flavours instead of masking any of them. If you prefer a black coffee, then add coconut essence or a little coconut oil to your coffee – but only a little. The deep, rich coffee flavours will remain and there will be just a hint of coconut in the background.
Coffee + Vanilla
When coffee meets vanilla syrup the end result is a much sweeter, almost Christmassy beverage. Good coffee brewed properly is only slightly bitter and there is a natural sweetness there too to counteract it. But if you can’t get access to good coffee or you have a particularly sweet tooth, then adding some vanilla syrup might be for you. Unlike coconut, vanilla is a very strong flavour and it does overpower coffee a little bit. But it’s a nice flavour and it’s nice to mix things up sometimes – especially in a vanilla spiced latte (which has some of the other flavours we’re going to mention later). If you’d like to make your own vanilla syrup, you should heat some sugar and water with a split vanilla pod to infuse its flavour.
Coffee + Cinnamon
When coffee meets cinnamon the drink is a little sweeter and earthier, which accents coffee’s natural flavours perfectly. But only add a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon powder to your coffee or you’ll ruin it, as this seemingly innocuous powder packs a massive wallop. You can also buy cinnamon syrup or make your own by boiling water and sugar and adding in some ground cinnamon or adding a piece of cinnamon bark to infuse into the syrup. Just be careful not to add too much. We won’t make a new section in this article for nutmeg, but it works well in coffee in a similar way to cinnamon, and the two go beautifully together – especially in a latte. In fact, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla together into a vanilla spiced latte and you’ll have a lovely winter drink that’ll warm your cockles nicely!
Coffee + Baileys
When coffee meets Baileys something truly special happens. There are creamy coffee notes already in Baileys, so the flavours go together beautifully. Additionally, Baileys has chocolate flavours in it as well that work beautifully in coffee, as we discussed at the beginning of this article. And the whiskey in Baileys goes with coffee beautifully. Coffee with whiskey is traditionally known as Irish coffee and the strong, aromatic flavour of the whiskey goes well and is balanced against coffee’s equally strong, aromatic flavour. To add Baileys to coffee is to add a variety of flavours to coffee, but each one of them goes with coffee incredibly well.
Coffee + Caramel
When coffee meets caramel the result is a sumptuous, sweet beverage. Caramel and coffee work really well as the darker, caramel notes round off coffee’s natural bitterness without masking it. They are the perfect partners as they complement each other without overpowering one another. You can buy caramel specifically for adding to your coffee, but if you want to make it, heat a lot of sugar and a little water on med-high heat until the sugar starts to catch and turn brown. If you pour the caramel into ice cubes you can pop one in your coffee as soon as it’s ready – it sweetens your drink and cools it down faster so that you can drink it sooner.
And that’s all of the flavours we have time for in this article. Coffee is such a strong flavour that it can hold its own against many other flavours, so why not experiment with a few ingredients and see what you like best. All of the advice on Amore Coffee’s website comes from years of experience working in the coffee industry. If you’re interested, check out our range of bean-to-cup coffee machines.