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Oct 07

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte

 

 

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I noticed that the minute summer is over, all manner of pumpkin recipes explode on the internet. There are pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin pies, muffins, bars, slices, soups, breads and even drinks. Now of all the drinks that I have come across this season, the Pumpkin Spice Latte seems to be the most prevalent and it got me thinking. Is it because, like eggnog at Christmas, this really is THE DRINK to have during the fall months or, more sinisterly, a product of a meticulous and aggressive advertising campaign by a certain coffee outlet? Like seriously, the minute October rolled around, suddenly everywhere I looked I saw signs that read “Pumpkin Spice Latte Is Back!!” Intrigued, I went to their website and looked it up.

 

I have never personally had this Pumpkin Spiced Latte but it did sound like something I wouldn’t mind introducing to my tummy once in a while. Just the name of it seemed to suggest at the yumminess of it all, and the ad made it clear that this flavour of coffee isn’t sticking around for long ~ only the autumn months. Everyone was making a bee line to the various outlets, with some even Tweeting about their excitement at receiving their first dose of this beverage for the year. Man, this must be some seriously delicious coffee; I should get me some!

 

Two days ago I was on the way to the Hague, and since I had fifteen minutes to spare until the train pulled up at the platform, I made my way into the coffee outlet and ordered my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte to go … took a sip and it was a ‘meh‘ experience overall. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. I was watching the kid behind the counter make it and it was then that I realized that all it really was was regular coffee with milk with the added syrup flavouring … and I paid EUR 5 for that. If adding a syrup based flavouring is all it really is then I said to myself, “…hey, I should be able to make this myself at home, easy!” And so I did.

 

 

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte.

 

2 shots espresso

300 mls steamed whole milk

1 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

20 g white chocolate buttons

Whipped cream

 

 

Heat milk in a pot over medium heat. If you have one of those fancy-schmancy coffee machines with the milk steamer nozzle, then use that. When the milk just about boils, turn off the heat and add in the pumpkin spice, sugar, vanilla extract and white chocolate. Stir to melt everything.

 

Meanwhile, make the espresso any way you are comfortable with … and divide it into latte glasses. I picked up my latte glasses (aren’t they PRETTY???!!) at Xenos, my favourite thrift shop in the whole of the Netherlands. They were like EUR 2 each, and came in a plain version and a fern-design version. I get pretty much all my plates and things from there because they change their designs regularly and I cannot help myself from picking up something new every couple of months.

 

 

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte

 

 

Anyway, once you have your espresso in the glasses, go ahead and top it up with the infused milk. If you don’t mind the spice bits then dump the whole thing in. If you prefer just the milk then strain first. Top with whipped cream, add a dash more pumpkin spice and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

 

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte2

 

 

Yummylicious, even if I do say so myself. The added white chocolate adds a little hint of chocolately richness, and the use of actual spices really lifts this drink to must-have-on-cold-wet-autumn-days status. If you wanted to be extra decadent then you could always add white chocolate shavings on the top. For the fat conscious I suppose you will be excused for omitting the topping and whipped cream, and simply settle for milk foam … I don’t think it would jeopardize the taste of this drink one bit.

 

I have been told that people go one step further by incorporating real pumpkin in their drinks. Hmmm … well maybe I will give that a whirl the next time I have some extra pumpkin laying about the fridge, but for now I am content with this version and I am officially keeping it in the books, right next to the hot cocoa recipe. Other warming drink to try out on my TO DO list is badam milk with saffron and rose water … a drink traditionally served in India. But that’s for later. Right now I wanna sit back with a cookie and enjoy my new found favourite drink and perhaps watch some crappy murder mystery show on tv.

 

 

~ Enjoy! ~

 

 

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2 comments

  1. ellie | fit for the soul

    Hehe, I think the pumpkin latte craze has a loooot to do with genius advertisement–like Starbucks, they do such a great job in engaging the community/customer, as if they were telling YOU specifically that it’s now in stores, etc. But then also, pumpkin is just heaven! Something about it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and we all long for that, at least I do. 😀

    1. bubviv

      Indeed, Starbucks has mastered the art of customer engagement advertising … and the cooler autumn months does create the need for comforting coffee beverages.

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