It's always more fun to DIY. Every week at Food52, we'll spare you a trip to the grocery store and show you how to make small batches of great foods at home.
Today: Tiffany from Offbeat and Inspired makes coffee creamer out of real cream, with no dehydrated powders or mysterious ingredients in sight.
Coffee creamer is a staple recipe that every home cook should have in their repertoire. The base is easy, and you can control the flavoring and sweetness levels, which is something I really enjoy because I find that store-bought creamers are often overpowering. The simplicity of this recipe will allow you to focus on the fun part: dreaming up delicious flavors that will bring your morning cup of joe to a whole new level.
This spiced vanilla creamer is sweet, rich, and addictive, while I like to describe my frazier fir creamer as a pine forest in a mug. It’s a wintry creamer packed with the fresh and bright flavors of fragrant frazier fir and has the subtle sweetness of coconut sugar. Here's the best part: If you haven't tossed your Christmas tree yet, snag a few branches, rinse them off, and get to work on this recipe (or just go foraging in the nearest wooded area). It's so easy.
To add flavoring to a basic creamer you’ve made ahead, combine your base and flavorings in a small pot, bring to a light simmer, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour before straining. Then you can use or refrigerate your flavored creamer.
Makes 1 cup of creamer
1 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/4 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
Spiced Vanilla Coffee Creamer
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 vanilla bean
Combine the sugar and cream in a small pot. If you want to make spiced vanilla creamer, add the cinnamon stick and cayenne pepper. Then split your vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the pot, and add the bean. If making frazier fir creamer, add the handful of pine needles to the cream.
Bring to a light simmer and then reduce heat to low, stirring for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat. If you're making basic coffee creamer, strain it into a jar or a storage container.
If you're making one of the flavored varieties, remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let it steep for 1 hour. Strain your creamer through a fine mesh sieve into a jar or storage container and use immediately or refrigerate.
The creamer will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Photos by Tiffany Mitchell
This article originally appeared on Food52.com: How to Make Flavored Coffee Creamer at Home
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