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Are you one of those people who cannot start their day without a cup of hot beverage? Do you feel cranky and irritable until you down the first cup of coffee? Welcome to the club. So, many people start their day this way as it is more than a drink. It is a passion for some and even an addiction for some. Coffee lovers will tell you what real coffee is all about. You get the best beans, roast them, and then grind them to get some coffee powder. You use this powder to brew a cup for your pleasure. Not everybody has the time or money to go through this process. Most people depend on instant coffee to indulge in this pleasure. As the name suggests, it is ready in a jiffy. If you are short of time and want your fix, then this beverage will give you that instant hit.
What is Instant Coffee?
It is soluble coffee powder or crystals. You have to mix hot water or milk or both to get your beverage. It is ready in seconds and does not need much more than opening a bottle or packet and spooning out some powder into your cup. There were many attempts to make it soluble but most of them resulted in bad results. It was only after a lot of failed experiments that success was achieved.
Process of Making Instant Coffee
Making instant coffee is quite simple and easy. This is the main reason for people to prefer this to a real thing. The easiest way to make this brew is to heat water and add one or two spoons of the powder. Mix it nicely and drink. Of course, there are many ways one can make a cup of this beverage. It depends on personal preference. You can make it strong or weak, sweet or bitter; it depends on your choice. There are a lot of health benefits either.
Can I make my own instant coffee?
While it is easy to use readymade powder, it is possible to make your own instant coffee quite easily. This way, you will get more flavor, and it will be more satisfying. Follow these steps:
- Take some finely ground dried coffee powder
- Brew it but add four times some powder
- Now you will have a super strong liquid
- You can add sugar in the same proportion
- Allow it to cool completely and pour into a bottle
- Keep it in the fridge and use it whenever you need to make a cup.
First Method
Let us show you how you can use the powder in a couple of ways. You don’t need any expensive equipment, and you don’t need much time to do it. Just some hot water and you can have your cup of nectar. What you need to do is to follow the instructions given on the label carefully to make coffee. Most containers or sachets will tell you how much quantity is enough for one cup. One way to do this:
- In a mug or cup, add some coffee powder and sugar
- Add a few drops of water slowly and make a thick paste
- Use a spoon to whip your mixture until it becomes frothy
- Add hot water and milk in the proportion you want
- Serve hot.
Second Method
Another very interesting way to use instant powder is to make a cold beverage with it. Coffee made in this way is a very popular drink and much in demand in summers. This is how you can do it:
- Put some powder, sugar, and some milk or water in a blender.
- Run a blender at high until the mixture gets frothy and light.
- Add the rest of the milk. You can choose any milk you want.
- Add ice and again run the blender for a short burst.
- Pour out in a tall glass and serve.
- To make it more interesting, add some ice cream to your drink.
Make it with Milk
You can use only milk and no water as milk is mostly water. You will end up with Café Latte. Using milk will make it weaker, and flavors will get watered down. Some people love having a lot of milk in their cup. Some people add a spoon or two of milk, just enough to change color a bit but not the taste. What happens when you add milk?
- If you are using full-fat milk, you will add to calories. If you want to lose weight, don’t add milk
- It is better to add milk in the evening cup of joe. In the morning you need more energy and black coffee will give you that
- It is believed that adding milk can prevent esophageal cancer. This requires more research
- Milk can also prevent acidity.
How to Make it with Roasted Coffee Beans
Real aficionados will look for the real thing, but it is not always possible. Commercially available instant powders go through a complicated process which is not possible to replicate at home. What you can do is use beans to make your powder.
- Take some roasted beans and grind them as finely as you can
- Sieve with a fine sieve and keep this powder in a container.
- When needed, put some powder in a mug and pour hot water on top of it. Stir and then let it sit for a short time.
- Drink but not till the last sip. The powder residue settles at the bottom, making it bitter and undrinkable.
Other Methods
There are many ways and methods you can use instant coffee powder to make different types of drinks.
- Iced: cold and refreshing, served over ice with cream
- Espresso: how to make espresso with instant coffee is quite simple. It can be made with or without milk. Buy a cheap espresso maker who can give good results
- Latte: adding frothy milk will make this a delicious beverage
- Warm hot cocoa: adding cocoa and cinnamon to your hot drink will make it perfect for a cold night
- Get a Cappuccino maker to make an excellent cup cappuccino.
Tips to Make it Taste Good
If you love hot brew but are not satisfied with its taste, don’t worry. We will share some tips which can help you while making coffee.
- Buy good instant coffee to get a good head start
- Pour fresh water in a kettle to boil. Don’t use water which was sitting in the kettle
- Measure some powder and water carefully at least when you start using any product
- Adding sugar and milk or cream can add to the flavor and taste
- Always store the powder in an airtight container and at room temperature
- Invest in some good automated coffee machine.
Calories in Instant Coffee
It is a low-calorie beverage but adding sugar and milk can change this drastically. For example, a cup with a tablespoon of milk can have about 6 to 10 calories. A frappuccino, on the other hand, can have as much as 200 to 250 calories. One teaspoon of instant coffee calories is 4, which is not much. It is the milk and sugar, which add to your weight.
Benefits of Instant Coffee
Instant coffee benefits are many. Let us take a look at some of them.
- Brain: caffeine in instant drink can increase your cognitive functions and also improve concentration. It can help in decreasing depression
- Metabolism: it can help you in losing weight. It increases metabolism and burns calories
- Prevention from diseases: it can help ward off some degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
- Liver: it is good at protecting your liver. It also reduces the risk of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. So, health benefits are a good incentive for you to start drinking this beverage.
Can Instant Coffee Harm You?
When you are short of time and looking for something to perk you up a hot beverage brewed right seems a perfect option that you may have. Do you wonder while drinking whether instant coffee bad for you? You will be happy to know that there are no harms associated with instant powder. The main problem is chemical acrylamide, which can cause some health problems. In instant coffee, caffeine is also less. Its amount is so small that you don’t need to worry. You can enjoy your drink without worrying too much. Just ensure that there are not too many additives like sugar and cream or some extra artificial flavors.
We hope, this post was interesting and informative for you.
Enjoy your drink!
Do you know any unusual recipes for making instant coffee? Share your experience with mykitchenadvisor in the comment section below!
COMMENTS
15 January, 2020
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