Smooth Iced Coffee
Inspired by techniques from James Hoffmann and Serious Eats.
Brewing coffee double-strength straight onto ice chills it instantly without watering it down, then a splash of cold milk finishes it smooth and balanced. No sugar needed - just good coffee and a little cinnamon if you like.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Ice the jug, heat the water. Put 100g of ice into a heatproof jug, then boil the kettle and let it sit for 30 seconds so the water settles to around 94°C. Water straight off a hard boil is slightly too hot for coffee and tends to pull out harsh, bitter flavours.
- 2
Brew double-strength over ice. Brew directly over the ice in the jug: for a cafetière, combine the coffee with the 160ml of water, stir, steep for 4 minutes, then press and pour over the ice; for a pour-over, pour the water slowly in circles over 2.5-3 minutes directly onto the ice below. If using espresso instead, pull a double shot from the 20 g of coffee straight onto the ice, then add 100 ml cold water. Hot coffee hitting ice chills in seconds and locks in the aroma, while brewing it stronger than usual compensates for the extra water the melting ice will add.
- 3
Stir to finish chilling. Stir the jug until the ice has mostly melted and the coffee feels properly cold to the touch.
- 4
Build the glass. Fill a glass with the remaining 100g of ice, pour the chilled coffee over it, then top with the cold milk and stir. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon if you'd like a little extra warmth to the flavour.
Storage
Brewed coffee without milk keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add ice and milk only when you're ready to serve.
Equipment
- kettle
- cafetière (French press), pour-over cone or espresso machine
- heatproof jug
- tall glass (about 400 ml)
- digital scales
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 64 kcal |
| Protein | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 6.1 g |
| of which sugars | 6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 2.5 g |
| of which saturates | 1.6 g |
| Fibre | 0.1 g |
| Salt | 0.15 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
