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Vanilla caramel mocha lattes are sure to elevate your taste buds above a plain ho-hum coffee. See the simple recipe for how easy it is to combine these flavors to make a delicious breakfast drink!
VANILLA CARAMEL MOCHA LATTES
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Valentine's Day is almost here and everyone is talking about gifting things to their loves. They are talking about all these "love languages" and special dinners, bouquets of flowers, and lots of candy to be ordered. A long time ago, I realized my love language is coffee. Coffee makes my heart pitter patter. It's one of those really small things in life that gives me a great big smile.
When I was sick, I realized how much my husband speaks my love language to me. Every morning, my coffee is ready. I never have to think about it. He just does it. And every single morning, I smile.
Many of you know, I actually met my husband while I was a barista at a coffee shop. The irony that he makes coffee for me every day is not lost on us. Sometimes, on the weekends, or on special holidays like Valentine's Day, I like to surprise him and reverse the roles.
He also loves coffee. It's such an inexpensive, simple way to show each other how much we care. And for Valentine's Day, I go all out.
One of the first things we invested in, was this Capresso Espresso Machine. It's easy enough to use daily, but affordable enough to use on the weekends. You will make up the money you will save owning a machine, simply from buying expensive take out coffee drinks at around the 10 coffee mark. Gourmet Coffee is my downfall, finding a way to make it affordable was one of the best financial decisions I could make!
Learning to make fancy coffee drinks shouldn't be intimidating. I'll walk you through step by step on how to make this Vanilla Caramel Mocha Latte.
First, start by loading your espresso into the machine. Be sure to use the tamper to flatten those grounds!
While your espresso machine is doing its thing, let's steam the milk.
I like my milk at around the 150 degree mark. And yes, I do think a temperature gauge is totally necessary. It's so hard to guess milk on your own, and the sweet spot makes all the difference. Learning to froth takes a bit of practice. If you want no froth, keep the black knob below the milk. More froth? Experiment bringing the air vents just to the top surface of the milk.
Ahh, the nectar of the Gods. I could drink straight espresso. I could drink it in a latte, a cappuccino. I can drink it with sugar or without. If there is one thing I think an adult should learn - it's how to make a good shot of espresso. It's so versatile and can be used in so many ways.
Now that we've got all our components, let's assemble our vanilla caramel mocha. The recipe I used today makes enough for 2 lattes.
Start by adding the espresso into two coffee mugs. The Capresso machine will make 4 ounces, which is enough for 2 lattes.
Let's make it a mocha. So I'm all about simplicity and for me using a pre-made cocoa mix is the best way to go. You can vary the taste of a mocha by using a dark or a milk chocolate. Cost Plus World Market sells all kinds of flavors, like Red Velvet and Salted Caramel, so experimenting with just mochas is endless. Be sure to check out all the fun flavors while you're browsing the shelves at your local store. My friends at the College Station store know I'm often in the tea/coffee aisle (PS: They sometimes have free coffee to sample, so get some friends!).
Stir the mocha mix so that it's dissolved. The hot espresso makes this easy peasy.
Torani syrups really make the possibilities even greater. I really appreciate the sweetness the syrup can give. For this recipe, I used equal parts Vanilla syrup with equal parts Caramel syrup. If you'd like a simple vanilla latte, skip the mocha mix and use vanilla syrup. If you want a caramel mocha, use the mocha mix and just the caramel syrup. As you make espresso drinks on weekends when you have more time, you'll enjoy all the experimenting with flavors!
Now we top it off with our steamed milk. For these drinks, I put just the tiniest bit of froth on top, knowing I was going to go all out and add whipped cream on top. If you're more of a true latte froth loyalist, you can hold back the froth while you are pouring it in, and then scoop a few big spoons of froth directly on top.
But it's Valentine's Day, so I'm going all out. Topped with lots of fresh whipped cream and chocolate curls, my heart is happy. If I was going to make a traditional latte, I would have used these stencils to make an adorable top by sprinkling some of the mocha mix on it. But alas, whipping cream won out.
Served with some macaroons, hubs is happy to have this special breakfast treat. While I was shopping, I found these sassy spoons and had to buy them. How fun are they to stir your morning cup of Joe with?
I'm not sure which one is my favorite, but "Whole Latte Love" won out for my Valentine's Day treat.
Lattes and Chocolate - what could be better? Not necessarily a chocolate fan? Don't worry, there are plenty of Valentine's Day Candy to pick from!Sometimes it really is the simplest things that can bring great joy. I truly appreciate my husband making sure I have coffee every morning, and when I can return the favor, I'm more than happy to.
Today's post was photographed on my new Wood Garner Extension Table. After almost 18 years of the same dining room table, I splurged on this and couldn't be happier.
Want more coffee recipes? Try these:
Iced Vanilla Lattes for a Crowd
Dark Chocolate White Chocolate Mocha Lattes
VANILLA CARAMEL MOCHA RECIPE
📋Recipe
Vanilla Caramel Mocha Lattes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon hot cocoa mix
- 4 oz espresso
- 16 oz steamed milk
- 2 tablespoon vanilla syrup
- 2 tablespoon caramel syrup
Instructions
- While you brew your espresso, steam your milk.
- Divide the espresso between 2 cups.
- In each cup, stir in 1 Tablespoon mocha mix. Once dissolved, add in 1 tablespoon each vanilla and caramel syrups. Stir well.
- Pour over the steamed milk, holding back the froth.
- Top with froth or optional whipping cream.
Nutrition
Amanda Finks says
This is absolutely heavenly! Yum!
Chrissy says
I'm pretty sure I need this drink in my life everyday. YUM!
Mauri says
Oh my word, these look DELICIOUS! Coffee and I are such good friends. We originally got an espresso machine as a wedding gift (I wanted it so badly after working at Sweet Eugene's!), but I realized after a few months of having it and not using it since we just used our regular coffee pot so much, we just didn't have the room to store it anymore in our small apartment, so I returned it. WOMP WOMP. Why did I do that?!
Also, those SPOONS! I love them! I need them! I'm really late to the game (like, so, so late to the game) and have just discovered the incredibleness that is World Market! What a fun post to write! 🙂 - Mauri @www.theamericanpatriette.com
MrsMajHoff says
I always tell people that a really strong cup of coffee can be a good replacement. It's not a true espresso - but not everyone has one, so I totally understand! And yes- the spoons are darling and make me smile every morning! We discovered World Market in San Antonio in 2000. We purchased our bed frame and a few other furniture pieces that I still have! I could wander the aisles for hours!