Sunday, August 19, 2018

HONEY LAVANDAR LATTES

A floral, spiced, and slightly sweet lavender honey infused milk paired with your favorite cold brew. These dairy-free and refined sugar free lattes are a bright, refreshing way to start your day!
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Is there anything better than a bright, delicious iced latte on a warm summer morning?!?
It’s finally sunny here in Chicago after about a week straight of rain, and it’s putting a big smile across my face. Especially, since I’m sipping on one of these sweet floral lattes too!
This was my first time cooking with lavender. I was at the farmer’s market last weekend and stumbled upon a small bouquet of lavender while perusing the fresh herbs. It had this beautiful violet hue and fresh, floral aroma. It was literally the last bunch left, so I knew I had to snag it and create a new recipe using it.
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Iv’e seen lavender flavored coffee beverages at my local coffee shop. Now that I had lavender to use, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to create my own lavender coffee drink.
Plus, iced coffee is always a good idea!
Lavender and honey seemed like a perfect marriage. Both give that slightly floral accent of flavor. The honey also adds a hint of sweetness. Together with the coffee I knew would  be something truly magical. And boy was I right!!

LET’S GET TO MAKING LATTES.

First, let’s talk lavender. Lavender has this beautiful floral aroma with hints of lemon and mint. It adds a wonderful burst of flavor to this latte.
There are different forms of lavender. You can get a bunch of real lavender (like I picked up at my farmer’s market) or purchase dried culinary lavender. The dried lavender has a deeper flavor, so you need less of it. I recommend using dried lavender to ensure you achieve the perfect lavender flavor in the drink. You can order it from amazon!
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To make the honey lavender infused milk, add the milk, lavender buds, cloves, and ginger to a sauce pan. The cloves and ginger are optional but highly recommended. They add a hint of spice and warmth that pairs well with the lavender and elevates the flavor profile of the latte.
Bring the mixture to a soft boil (if it is a rolling boil, the milk could scald, which will leave it with a burnt taste) and allow to boil for one minutes. Take the mixture of the heat and top with a lid. Allow it to stand for 10 minutes, so the lavender can impart more flavor into the milk.
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Strain the mixture to remove lavender and spices. Stir in honey and vanilla. Store in fridge until it becomes cold.
It’s best when the infused milk is cold so it does not warm the iced latte (or melt the ice). You can infuse the milk the day before so you can easily assemble the latte in the morning.
When you are ready to make your latte, fill a glass with ice and top half with your favorite cold brew and half with the honey lavender infused milk. I recommend using a good cold brew or shot of expresso – that way the robust coffee flavor does not get lost in the mix.
Stir so the cold brew and milk are fully combined. Now time to enjoy your latte!
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Like I promised, this latte is magic. It has a beautiful floral aroma without being overpowering. The honey provides the perfect touch of rich sweetness that only honey can give. The cloves and ginger add a hint of spice that rounds out the floral notes. And you still get that robust coffee flavor for the bold cold brew.
Sippin’ on it now as I look out at the beautiful summer day and I’m one happy girl!
You deserve this happiness too, so go and make this latte! It will brighten your day 🙂

Ingredients

  • 16 oz cold brew
  • 1 ½ cups dairy free milk
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoons cloves optional*
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger optional*
  • Dash sea salt

Instructions

  1. In a sauce pan, combine the dairy free milk, dried lavender, cloves and ginger* and bring to a soft boil. Allow to simmer for 1 minutes. Turn off heat and add lid to pot and let sit for ten minutes (this allows the spices and lavender to impart their flavor into the milk). Strain the mixture to remove lavender buds and cloves. Stir in honey and vanilla. Store in fridge so it becomes cold.**
  2. Fill a tall class with ice. Add half cold brew and half honey lavender infused milk. Stir and garnish with lavender flowers.
  3. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*The cloves and ginger are optional. They will add a little spice and warmth to the milk. I've tried both ways and think the ginger and cloves are a wonderful addition and gives the drink a little kick without overpowering the lavender. **I recommend making the infused milk the day beforehand so it is nice and cold when you want to make your latte.
all image & recipes adapted by daniliciousdishes.com