Summer is definitely here, so it's time to make the most of the sun and enjoy a long, iced drink at the same time. We have noticed a big increase in the popularity of frappe drinks with our customers this year, so if you aren't already making them, here is our quick guide to get you started.
What is a frappe?
A frappe is an iced beverage that has been blended, shaken or beaten to create a foam consistency amongst the drink, which is then served cold, and often topped with whipped cream and toppings.
It’s up to you whether you add ice before or after beating the coffee, and additives such as sugar, syrups, sauces and flavourings can be used to customise your drink.
What’s the difference?
The difference between a frappe and any other iced drink is that frappes are blended for a lot longer, till the ice is blended properly and a substantial foam has been made. Sometimes frappes are made in a cocktail shaker, in which case crushed ice can be added into the shaker, or whole ice once you’ve finished shaking. Another difference is that smoothies or iced cappuccinos are only blended to the preferred ice consistency, regardless of the foam content. Since the blending process for iced and frappe cappuccinos is very similar, it is quite often very difficult to see or know the difference between them.
What products do I need to make one?
Here at A1 Coffee, we do everything we can think of to make life easy, so we stock frappe powders and liquids that are super quick to make. With the powders, all you have to do is put some ice, milk and some powder into the blender, then simply blend to your preferred consistency. We have recently started stocking pre-mixed liquid frappes in cartons, and these have proved to be a hit with customers who either don't want to make their own frappes, or who don't have a blender. You just pour these over a glass full of ice cubes!
How to serve it (what cup? what straw?)
Frappes can be served in a variety of ways, from long tall glasses, to clear plastic cups and even mugs. It’s all about personal preference and what aesthetic you are going for. Generally speaking, they are served in tall, heavy milkshake glasses, seeing as they are similar to milkshakes. If you are serving them with a straw, use a thick smoothie straw or similar, as there will still be small pieces of ice in the drink.
How do you actually make it?
The most popular DIY way of making a frappe at the moment simply consists of putting 1 cup of black coffee, 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of ice into a blender, then all you have to do is blend until nearly smooth and sweeten as desired.
However, if you are going to use a powder, such as Simply Coffee Frappe Powder then you will need to fill a cup with ice cubes, then pour milk into the same cup until the ice cubes are covered. Place the contents of that cup into a blender with 1 scoop of this powder and blend until crushed.
What flavours are available?
Frappes are just like milkshakes, they are whatever flavour you want them to be! At A1 Coffee we do stock a variety of flavours such as coffee, vanilla, chocolate etc. But if you want to be a little more adventurous, you can always have a look at our massive range of flavouring syrups, and simply choose the one you like the sound of. The most popular flavours of frappes currently are caramel, coffee and vanilla.
If you really want to stand out from the crowd, use the excellent Kool Kup Neutral Frappe Powder - this gives you the frappe blend but without a flavour, allowing you to use flavouring syrups to create whatever you like. We currently stock 350 different flavours of syrup, and as you can blend more than one flavour together (eg, vanilla and cherry), there really is no end to how creative you can be.
