Since starting this journey of food blogging, I had eager friends and family who were willing to taste test and support my new creative endeavor. So I whipped up a brunch menu showcasing the beauties of Filipino flavors and reminiscent of my childhood growing up in Manila. One of the highlights of this menu is actually the beverage accompaniment: Cafe Barako con Coco Leche.
The source of the inspiration for this drink was a casual conversation with my father-in-law over a cup of iced Vietnamese Coffee. He mentioned that the strong flavors of coffee and the sweet condensed milk reminded him of his childhood in Guadalajara where his mom would make him drink a cup of Cafe con Leche with his breakfast. Clearly, it made a strong impression on him.
I wanted to infuse my roots into this classic beverage, so I used ground Barako Coffee, which is a variety of coffee found in the Philippines. It has a strong, dark flavor; the perfect backdrop to flaunt the tropical notes in my condensed milk. As for the condensed milk, I didn’t want a drinkable dessert, so I swapped out regular table sugar for coconut sugar. The results were phenomenal. A marrying of earthiness with a touch of sweetness sprinkled with the essence of the tropics.
Cafe Barako Con Coco Leche
Yield: 1/4 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Coco Leche:
2 cups full fat milk
2/3 cup coconut sugar
Other
A shot (or two) of Barako coffee espresso (I used the brand Cafe Barako de Lipa)
Instructions:
Simmer sugar and milk in a saucepan over low-medium heat for about 45 minutes, stirring every minute or so until reduced in half. Remove from heat and let cool. Viscosity improves as the condensed milk cools.
Recipe note: Remove foam and sugary bits stuck to the sides of your pan before stirring. You don’t want that mixed back into your condensed milk!
Recipe adapted from: Bigger Bolder Baking
Hey It's Jen Lou 