The frappé, a popular coffee beverage loved worldwide, has established itself as a refreshing and delicious option, especially during the hot days of summer.
In this article, I invite you to delve into the fascinating preparation of this drink. We will explore its unique characteristics, the ingredients that contain it, and the elaboration process that turns it into an unparalleled sensory experience.
Get ready to discover the magic surrounding the frappé and immerse yourself in a captivating journey through its passionate history and deep-rooted impact on coffee culture worldwide.
What is a Frappé?
The frappé is a refreshing coffee-based drink with crushed ice, whose name comes from the French term “frapper,” which means to hit or beat. It originated at the Thessaloniki International Fair in 1957 and quickly evolved popular in Greece, becoming an icon of the country’s coffee culture.
The basic recipe includes coffee, sugar, and crushed ice, mixed and vigorously shaken to obtain a thick foam.
Its most famous variant is the Frappuccino, trademarked by Starbucks in 1994, which incorporates coffee blended with crushed ice, milk, and other ingredients, creating a cold and creamy beverage with delicious flavors and textures.
Over time, various recipe variants have been developed, adapting to different tastes and preferences worldwide. Its versatility makes it ideal for any occasion, being a refreshing and delicious option on hot days or as an accompaniment to social gatherings.
The frappé has transcended borders and is a beloved beverage in many countries.
Classic Frappé recipe:
Ingredients (single serving):
- 150 ml of crushed ice (not in cubes).
- 120 ml of strong coffee (instant or cool freshly brewed coffee). The amount of coffee will depend on how strong you want the drink to be.
- 60 ml of milk (you can use cow’s milk or any plant-based milk you prefer).
- 15 grams of sugar (adjustable to taste).
- 2.5 ml of vanilla essence.
- 15 grams of chocolate or caramel syrup (optional).
- Whipped cream for decoration.
- Grated chocolate or cocoa powder for sprinkling (optional).
Preparation:
- Prepare strong coffee and let it cool. You can also use instant coffee dissolved in cold water.
- In a blender, add the crushed ice, cold coffee, milk, sugar, and vanilla essence.
- Add the chocolate or caramel syrup to the blender mixture for additional flavor.
- Blend all the ingredients until you get a smooth and foamy consistency.
- Taste the Frappé and adjust the amount of sugar according to your preference.
- Serve the Frappé in a tall glass.
- Decorate the top with whipped cream and sprinkle grated chocolate or cocoa powder if desired.
- Add a straw, and enjoy!
Note: You can customize this recipe by adding other ingredients, such as chocolate chunks, almonds, or even a scoop of ice cream, according to your tastes and preferences.
Frappé variations
Frappés are incredibly versatile, with a wide range of variations to satisfy every palate. Find your favorite among these options:
- Chocolate Frappé: You get a sweet and chocolaty option with chocolate powder or chocolate syrup.
- Vanilla Frappé: You achieve a smooth and aromatic flavor with vanilla essence or syrup.
- Caramel Frappé: Incorporate caramel syrup for a sweet touch.
- Fruit-flavored Frappé: Use fruit syrups or extracts like strawberry, raspberry, and banana, among others, for a fruity twist.
- Mocha Frappé: Mix coffee, milk, ice, and chocolate syrup for a coffee with milk and chocolate flavor.
- Tea Frappé: Replace coffee with tea (green tea, black tea, chai tea) for a tea-based variant.
- Hazelnut Frappé: You get a nutty and sweet flavor with hazelnut syrup.
- Frappé with liquors: Add rum, Baileys, or Kahlúa for a more adult version.
Differences between Frappés, smoothies, and slushes
Frappés, smoothies, and slushes are refreshing and delicious beverages, but their ingredients, textures, and preparation differ.
Frappé is a cold and foamy coffee-based drink, the smoothie is a thick and creamy fruit and yogurt-based drink, and the slush is a drink with crushed ice blended with flavoring syrups and fruit juices. Here, I explain the main differences between them.
Frappé
Ingredients: Frappé contains strong coffee, crushed ice, milk, and sugar. Sometimes, vanilla essence or other flavors are added to enhance its taste.
Texture: It is a chilled and foamy beverage due to the crushed ice and the blend of coffee and milk.
Preparation: It is prepared by mixing the ingredients in a blender until obtaining a smooth and foamy consistency. It is often served with whipped cream and sprinkled with cocoa or grated chocolate.
Smoothie
Ingredients: Smoothies are thick and creamy shakes that generally contain fruits (fresh or frozen), yogurt, milk, or juice.
Texture: They are mostly smooth and creamy due to the presence of fruits and yogurt.
Preparation: They are prepared by blending all the ingredients in a blender until obtaining a smooth and uniform texture. No ice chunks are used.
Slush
Ingredients: Slushes are drinks made with crushed ice blended with flavored syrups, fruit juices and occasionally sweetened with sugar.
Texture: They have a granulated texture due to the crushed ice, which gives them a “snow ice” appearance.
Preparation: They are prepared by crushing ice and mixing it with the desired flavor of syrups or liquids. The granulated consistency is achieved by freezing and scraping the ice repeatedly.
