Homemade Frappuccino
A thick, smooth, frosty blended coffee, sweet and milky, that holds together in the glass instead of separating into ice and coffee within a minute. The secret the chains use is a thickener, and you only need a pinch.
At a glance
- Coffee : milk
- 1:2
- Active time
- 5 min
- Total time
- 5 min
- Makes
- 1 large glass
- Serve
- Blended, cold
- Kit
- Blender
Ingredients
Note: Coffee ice cubes in place of ice give a stronger drink that does not water down at all.
Method
-
Liquids in first
Pour the cold coffee, milk and syrup into the blender jug. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the liquid.
Liquids first so the blades spin freely before the ice arrives.
-
Blend briefly to hydrate the gum
Blend for five seconds to disperse the xanthan gum before the ice goes in. It thickens almost instantly.
Blend 5 seconds -
Add ice and blend smooth
Add the ice and blend on high for thirty to forty-five seconds, until completely smooth with no chunks.
Blend 30 to 45 seconds -
Pour and top
Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream if you like. Serve with a wide straw.
Why this works
A blended coffee drink is a suspension of tiny ice crystals in sweet milky coffee, and suspensions separate. Within a minute or two of blending, the crystals float, the liquid drains to the bottom, and you have watery coffee under a cap of ice. That is the usual complaint about homemade versions, and it is why café blended drinks are made with a pre-mixed base containing a thickener.
Xanthan gum is that thickener. It is a polysaccharide made by fermentation, and a very small amount makes water much more viscous. In a blended drink it keeps the ice crystals suspended evenly instead of letting them float and the liquid drain, so the drink stays smooth and creamy to the end. An eighth of a teaspoon is enough. More and the texture turns slimy.
Cold coffee is essential. Hot coffee melts the ice as it blends and gives a thin slush. Cold brew concentrate is the easiest choice, because it is strong, cold and low in sharp acidity, which suits milk and sugar. Coffee ice cubes in place of plain ice push the flavour further, because nothing in the glass is plain water.
The name Frappuccino is a trademark of Starbucks, which bought it with the Boston coffee chain that created the drink in the early 1990s. This is a homemade version of the style, not their recipe.
Variations
- Mocha frappé: 2 tbsp cocoa syrup or chocolate sauce in the blender. See mocha frappe.
- Caramel: caramel sauce in the blender and drizzled on top.
- Vanilla: vanilla syrup in place of simple syrup.
- Lighter: half the syrup, skimmed milk, no cream. The xanthan gum keeps it creamy anyway.
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Questions
Why does my homemade frappuccino separate?
Without a thickener, the ice crystals float and the liquid drains. A pinch of xanthan gum, about an eighth of a teaspoon, keeps it smooth.
What can I use instead of xanthan gum?
A tablespoon of instant vanilla pudding mix, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, both thicken and stabilise it. Guar gum also works.
Can I use hot coffee in a blended coffee drink?
No. It melts the ice and makes a thin slush. Use cold brew or coffee chilled in the fridge.
How do I make it stronger without making it watery?
Use coffee ice cubes instead of plain ice, or cold brew concentrate instead of brewed coffee.