Summer is in the air! The sun is shining, birds are singing, and it's the perfect time to head outside and make the most of the great weather. One of the best ways to chill out in the sunshine is with a nice cold beverage and we would recommend an ice-cold Frappé to help you cool down!

Of course, heading to the coffee shop every day this summer isn't going to be good for your wallet, so why not take the time to make a Frappé from home?

It couldn't be easier to do, and there are several ways to prepare the beverage, giving plenty of reason to start enjoying homemade Frappés this summer!

About the Frappé

The Frappé has an exciting history, with two unique origins stories. It's believed that the first-ever Frappé originated from Greece in 1957. This version of the Frappé used instant coffee, water, and sugar to create a creamy coffee beverage that is still popular.
The Frappé we know and love in the U.S. has a different origin story connected to its Greek cousin. The American Frappé originates from New England, where the term 'frappe' referred to milkshake drink that included ice cream, espresso and frothed milk.
This frappé was exclusive to the New England area, with the owner of a Massachusetts-based chain of coffee shops called 'The Coffee Connection,' trademarking Frappuccino. The business was eventually bought-over by Starbucks, who received ownership of the copyright, going on to first introduce the Frappé nationwide in 1995.

Tips for a Great Frappé

Coffee is the key ingredient to the frappé, with different types of coffee, resulting in unique tastes, so the type of coffee used has a significant impact on the overall flavor of your Frappé.

While instant coffee is a quick and easy option, we love brewed ground coffee for a frappé, especially those with high acidity.

Now, you may have heard a lot of things about high acid coffees. Still, the one thing to remember is that this type of coffee is the highest quality available, with connoisseurs appreciating the much richer flavors produced.

When making frappé, we recommend using a high acid ground coffee such as the Dominican Coffee from Volcanica Coffee. We love high acid coffees for a frappé because it enhances the drink's overall flavor, and this high acid coffee is the perfect choice for creating a rich, delicious frappé.

Acid is the main reason behind bright and fruity flavors in a coffee, so the more acidic the coffee, the more vibrant the beverage tastes. When combined with milk and sugar, it genuinely tastes like coffee-flavored ice cream!

This makes for a delicious frappé that is perfect for the summer!

How to Make a Frappé

Step One - Gather the ingredients.

Only a few ingredients are required to make a Frappé at home, all of which are easily found at most supermarkets. 

You need the following ingredients:

• Cold milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• White sugar
• Coffee of your choosing
• Crushed ice
• Flavored syrup (optional)
• Brewed coffee - 1 ½ cup

Step Two - Prepare the milk.

Standard milk is the traditional choice for a Frappé, but you can easily use coconut or almond milk should you prefer.

You can use ½ or 1 cup of milk depending on how big you want your Frappé to be, so start by pouring the cold milk into a suitably sized cup.

Add around 2-3 tsp of sugar to the milk - add more sugar for a sweeter beverage!

Froth the milk and sugar together to create a smooth, foamy consistency.

Step Three - Adding coffee.

There are various options when it comes to adding coffee to your Frappé.

A quick and easy option is to add 1-2 tsp of instant coffee into the milk, but you can use any coffee you want, whether it's brewed, coffee pods, or anything else.

The more milk and sugar used, the more coffee should be added to help balance the flavor, so don't be afraid of testing out different measurements to get the perfect mix for your tastes.

An excellent place to start is the following measurements:

Step Four - Blend ingredients and serve.

Use a blender to combine all the ingredients to finish off the Frappé.

Pour the Frappé into a large cup filled with ice cubes and enjoy! It should take a minute to settle, with a foam appearing at the top of the drink.

Another option is to blend the ice cubes with the Frappé, which makes it a lot colder if that is your preference.

Step Five - Add personal touches.

More ingredients can be used to create that perfect Frappé, so don't be afraid to add some things to your drink to make it that bit better.

For instance, why not add some whipped cream to the top of your Frappé? Another great option is to add some syrup to give a unique flavor, with chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut being great additions to a Frappé!

Add syrup to the Frappé during step four (blending) to get that incredible flavor running through your drink!