How to Flavor Your Instant Coffee
Instant coffee is convenient to make, but sometimes it can be lacking in the flavor department. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to improve the flavor.
So, how do you make your next cup of instant coffee taste like the real thing? Here, we’ll discuss several methods to make your instant coffee delicious. Let’s begin!
Add Sugar…
Sugar is a tried and true solution for improving the flavor of coffee. Low-quality coffees are often very bitter, and sugar can help to cover that up. This can be effective even if you don’t want a sweet coffee. Even a small amount of sugar can be enough to take the bitter edge off. Then again, you’re also adding sugar to your diet.
…Or Use Another Sweetener
There’s no rule saying that you need to use sugar to sweeten your coffee. If you want to try something different, you can use honey, flavor shots, or even maple syrup. These don’t just make your coffee sweet. They also add additional flavors, which makes everything taste richer.
Add Some Creamer
Want to add some serious flavor? Add some creamer to your mix. If you enjoy the whole “powdered” thing, a simple powdered creamer can add plenty of richness. But if you want to get the best cup of coffee, stick with a liquid creamer. Liquid creamers are far richer, and they don’t take any longer to use.
Creamer has a couple of benefits. For one thing, the cream itself makes the beverage thicker, and neutralizes the coffee’s acidity. For another thing, you can buy all kinds of flavors, from French vanilla to Irish cream. Much like honey or maple syrup, these can significantly alter the flavor profile.
Mix in Some Milk
Many people make a point of drinking milk because of its nutritional content. If you already like drinking milk, you can get some more in your diet by adding it to your coffee. You can add a splash to slightly alter the flavor, or mix it half-and-half to make a traditional café au lait.
Some instant coffee blends come with powdered milk already mixed in. Even so, it can make sense to add some of your own. It also helps to use whole milk if you can. The milk fat is a big part of the flavor, and skim milk won’t add nearly as much richness.
Froth Your Milk
Frothed milk has a lot of the same benefits as ordinary milk. It makes the coffee take richer, and it takes off the acidic edge. Acidity can often be a problem with instant coffees which, once again, tend to fall on the cheaper end of the spectrum.
If you own an espresso machine, you can use steam to make your frothed milk the old-fashioned way. But you can also use a simple handheld motorized whisk. Add the milk to a separate mug or glass, and run the whisk until the milk is nice and frothy. Pour it on top of your coffee, and you’ll have yourself an instant cappuccino.
Make it a Mocha
Who doesn’t like the taste of chocolate? It’s a classic gift for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. It’s one of the most popular ice cream flavors – and toppings. And, miracle of miracles, it pairs wonderfully with coffee. There’s even a name for coffee with chocolate: a café mocha.
You can do this in a couple of different ways. You could add a dash of cocoa powder and a little sugar and mix it thoroughly. Or, you could use a chocolate syrup. You can use just a small amount if you want to take the edge off the bitterness, or a larger amount to make a sweet, delicious treat.
Use Butter
When you think about foods that go with butter, you probably think of things like toast, pancakes, and baked potatoes. But believe it or not, butter also makes a great addition to your coffee.
Butter has some of the same benefits as other dairy products. It takes out the bitterness and cuts down on the acidity. However, it also has a velvety, smooth quality that you can’t get from milk, or even cream. Just make sure to blend it in thoroughly. If it’s not completely mixed, it will just rise to the top and form a layer of fat on top of your drink.
Try A Pinch of Salt
Salt might seem like an odd choice for a coffee, but hear us out. Food Network’s Alton Brown ran an experiment, and found that just a pinch of salt can radically improve the taste. If you think about it, this makes sense. Most sweets and even candies have a tiny bit of salt, which actually augments the sweetness.
Salt on its own will only reduce the bitterness a little. If you want to add actual flavor, you’ll want to go with a different choice. That said, salt can be a great way to fix a cup of coffee that’s too bitter for your liking.
Make it an Iced Coffee
Okay, okay. “Ice” isn’t a flavor. But when it’s too hot for a warm cup, an iced coffee can be just what the doctor ordered. Then, add as much cream and other flavorings as you like before topping off with your coffee.
If you drink slowly enough, the flavor profile of the coffee will also change. As the ice melts, it will become more watered down, making it less intense.
Spice it Up!
Who says you have to flavor your coffee with dairy or sweeteners? You can also add some spices to make it an entirely different beverage. Add some cinnamon for a blast of flavor that comes with zero additional calories. Or try your own favorite spices to see what works best!
Use Better Coffee
No matter what you do, cheap coffee is going to be cheap coffee. And as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Fortunately, instant coffee doesn’t automatically have to be low quality. With a good brand like Waka, you’ll get a superior brew – even if you take your coffee black.
