Have you heard about almond milk and coffee, but you don’t know how to get a tasty and enjoyable drink?
Among the perfect combinations with coffee, the one with almond milk is one of the most popular and requested versions.
The fresh and sweetened taste of the almond syrup enhances the intense and rich taste of the espresso, leaving a pleasant and lasting sensation in the palate.
Almond milk is a tasty alternative to whole milk. It is suitable for many sweet and aromatic recipes, both cold and hot. It is a perfect choice for a long cold brew, for a caffè shakerato or for a Milk coffee.
But to make the right mix, it is necessary to know the procedures and the proportions between the ingredients well, so that the flavours are well balanced, and no one prevails over the other.
A great suggestion comes from the Apulian tradition. The espresso Leccese is a very popular drink in Puglia, where coffee and almond milk are expertly mixed with ice-cubes.
As well as for its fresh taste, the almond milk in the cappuccino or in the coffee can be used as a cow milk substitute, especially for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic and also, for those who prefer a lighter and more digestible summer drink.
The real secret for a great drink is that the coffee is artfully prepared. You can obtain a great espresso with the Pontevecchio’s professional coffee machine just like the coffee made in Lecce’s bars and prepare your coffee and almond milk-based drink at home too.
Let us see how.
Why it is called espresso Leccese
There are several theories about the origin of the espresso Leccese. One of the most accredited is that iced coffee with almond milk was created in Lecce.
In fact, having a thirst-quenching drink while walking around the baroque city during the hot Salentine afternoons is a real pleasure. But before the spread of refrigerators and freezers, it was really difficult to have ice at home. Residents, therefore, went to bars to cool off with a coffee made with pickaxe ice.
The addition of almond milk was a need to make the drink lighter and sweeter, without adding sugar or other sweeteners.
Another version tells that this popular espresso leccese comes from Valencia. It seems to have arrived in Puglia in the seventeenth century and to have been known as “Café del tiempo”. The original recipe was with a lemon slice that was soon replaced by the sweet taste of almond.
Which are the ingredients
There are only three ingredients in the espresso leccese recipe.
Here they are:
- 3 cups of coffee,
- 9 ice cubes,
- 120 ml of almond milk.
Remember that, even if these are simple things, there are accurate guidelines for each of these ingredients.
The starting point of this preparation is the coffee. But not a simple coffee. You should find an intense and rich coffee blend, so that it perfectly matches the sweet taste of the almond milk.
For this recipe, the almond milk must be creamy and thick like a syrup. The best would be to prepare it at home, otherwise, it can be bought in the grocery.
The ice has its own particularity. To ensure that the coffee is not watered down, it is better to avoid small and light ice-cubes that can melt too fast.
How it is prepared
- Make three cups of espresso coffee with your professional coffee machine.
- Let it rest in a large cup.
- In the meantime, put some ice in the glasses, 3 ice-cubes in each of them.
- Add a small amount of cold almond milk in the glasses with ice.
- Finally, pour the coffee into the glasses.
Gently mix before drinking the espresso leccese.
In what other ways is it possible to drink almond milk
Here are some tasty ideas for coffee and almond milk-based drinks:
- Iced coffee with almond milk: it is a fresh and pleasant drink, a perfect choice for summer afternoons.
For a good result, it is better to prepare some almond milk and almond syrup ice-cubes. Then, extract the espresso and mix it together with the ice-cubes.
- Macchiato with almond milk: it is a simple recipe with Sicilian origin. First, make a long coffee, sweeten it, and let it cool
In the meantime, put the almond milk in the freezer and shake it often, until it becomes thick.
Once the coffee and the almond milk have cooled down, pour the milk into a glass, and add a half cup of coffee. We suggest you not to mix it at all.
- Cold coffee in almond ice: it is a drink that can be prepared in advance, ready to consume it during muggy days.
It is prepared by mixing one part almond milk with three parts water. Pour the mixture into the ice moulds and put them in the freezer.
You can use your cubes every time you wish to have a fresh and more flavoured coffee, taking care not to pour the hot coffee directly onto the ice-cubes.
- Cappuccino with almond milk: it is a lactose-free alternative to the classic cappuccino.
The ideal temperature is around 55 degrees and can be easily prepared with the steam arm.
If you wish to try all the coffee and almond milk combos proposed before, you only need to have a coffee machine that guarantees you an exceptional espresso.
Discover the Pontevecchio’s lever coffee machine, its taste will surprise you!
