When the snow has melted, and summer arrives again, you can cool down with an iced cappuccino. If you’re wondering, “What is an iced cappuccino?” read on.
If you enjoy coffee, you’ve probably ordered many cappuccinos and iced coffees in your life. Perhaps it’s time, however, to spice things up by trying something new, such as an iced cappuccino. “What is an iced cappuccino?” you may ask. Well, it’s basically espresso that’s poured over ice and topped with a thick layer of foam. Many people, however, tend to confuse an iced latte with an iced cappuccino and may order one when they mean the other. Read on to learn what the difference is between these two iced drinks.
If you love cool coffee drinks, you might enjoy our Shakerato guide.
What Is the Difference Between an Iced Cappuccino and an Iced Latte?
If you’re one of the many Americans who can’t tell whether you’re drinking an iced cappuccino or an iced latte, this is understandable — these two iced drinks are pretty similar. Both drinks are made with espresso and milk. However, there are subtle differences between an iced cappuccino and an iced latte.
It may help to think of a standard cappuccino and latte first. While a cappuccino is made with espresso, steamed milk, and froth, a latte only consists of espresso and steamed milk. Similarly, an iced cappuccino is made with espresso and foam, while an iced latte is made with espresso and milk. To help you understand what goes into each drink, here’s a short definition of each:
- An iced cappuccino consists of espresso cooled with ice and then topped with a thick layer of foam. As opposed to a standard cappuccino, you don’t add any steamed milk, though.
- An iced latte is an espresso that’s cooled with ice and topped with steamed milk. As is the case with a standard latte, no froth is added on top.
How To Make Your Own Iced Cappuccino
When it’s hot outside, a delicious, iced cappuccino can go down well. If you’re lucky enough to have an espresso machine with a steam wand at home, follow these few easy steps to make your own iced cappuccinos this summer.
- Ground fresh espresso beans, add some ground coffee into the portafilter and extract the espresso into a glass or a cup.
- Add some ice cubes into a mixing glass and pour the espresso over the cubes. You can then either strain the cooled espresso into a serving glass or transfer the espresso and ice into the serving glass. You can also add the ice later.
- Purge the wand before you froth the milk to get rid of any water that’s lodged in the circuit.
- Pour some cold milk into a pitcher. You then want to place the tip of the steam wand just below the surface of the milk. The idea is to inject lots of air into the milk.
- Keep frothing the milk until it reaches about 140 degrees. Then, scoop or pour the froth onto the cooled espresso.
What Is a Frappuccino?
A frappuccino is a beverage you’ll only find at Starbucks since they’ve trademarked the name. Although there are some similarities between a cappuccino and a frappuccino, these two drinks are not the same. A frappuccino is sweeter and contains cream as opposed to froth. As such, it is probably closer to a coffee milkshake than a cappuccino. To make your own frappuccino, you’ll need a mix of crushed ice, cream, coffee, condensed milk, and syrup.
