Read this article and learn what cascara latte ingredients are needed to brew the perfect cascara latte. It’s a very easy drink to make with perhaps the one drawback, an ingredient that is a little hard to find, cascara.
For most people, you will need to make your own cascara syrup, thankfully it is easy, very easy to make.
Keep reading for the details!
Cascara Latte Ingredients
Table Of Contents
If you are a coffee lover or a Starbucks regular, the cascara latte ingredients are straight forward. To make the Starbucks cascara drink exactly as the world’s most popular coffee shop does, you need steamed milk, espresso and cascara syrup.
Cascara syrup is, at the very heart of it, coffee cherry syrup. You can also add or request a cascara topping, which is a sprinkling of cascara sugar.
Read: Cascara latte caffeine
What Is Cascara?
The word cascara means husk, shell or skin in the Spanish language. In the coffee world, it is the dried skin from coffee cherries and is a discarded byproduct of the coffee process.
More often than not cascara is wasted as very little of it is used to make cascara tea, cascara coffee or other products like cascara sugar and cascara syrup.
Often, coffee farmers will use it as compost to revitalize their soil.
The processing of the cascara shells is easy. The discarded outer shell is saved and dried, often naturally dried in the sun. Once dried, they can be brewed with hot water to make a refreshing and zesty tasting tea.
What Is Cascara Latte?
A cascara latte is an espresso-based coffee drink made with steamed milk and flavored with cascara syrup and with a sprinkle of cascara sugar, known as the cascara topping.
The steamed milk is used in an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2. It can be enjoyed as a hot drink or as an iced latte. You can change the type of milk used and select the healthiest milk option as Starbucks has some plant-based milk options that work well in a cascara latte.
Oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk and almond milk all work well. The best milk to use, flavor and health wise, is Starbucks coconut milk, and they have a very high quality coconut milk which is made from single origin coconuts from Sumatra, Indonesia.
Read: Cascara latte nutrition facts
How To Make Cascara Latte
The cascara latte first appeared on the Starbucks menu in 2018 and makes use of the cascara that would otherwise be discarded and makes a product with them that has multiple uses, a flavored syrup that can be used in coffee, pancakes, and cocktails to name only a few uses.
To make this cascara latte recipe all you need is a short list of some cascara latte ingredients, which are:
- Medium or dark roast Arabica coffee beans.
- Cascara syrup.
- Milk of your choice.
You will get better results when using premium quality ingredients. The better that you ingredients are, the better your cascara coffee drink will be.
Cascara Latte Recipe
Let’s get to the core of this cascara latte and the components that make up this drink, which are:
- 1 Oz (30 ml) cascara syrup.
- 2 Oz (60 ml) espresso.
- 4 Oz of steamed milk.
- 1/2 teaspoon cascara for garnishing.
When you have your ingredients gathered, move forward to making your cascara latte. If you are using a premade cascara syrup, perfect. If you are making your own cascara syrup, that is perfect also.
Start by making an equal mix of sugar and water half of a cup, 1 Oz 30 ml of water and an equal amount of sugar. Mix well until it is dissolved. Add a tablespoon of cascara and stir for 5 minutes.
Heat your solution in a small saucepan and let it simmer for 5 minutes and stir well. Stirring while the solution is heating helps the flavor to extract.
Allow your solution to cool. When it is cool, filter it to remove the cascara. Store it in a glass bottle with an airtight lid.
To make a good strong double espresso, weigh 30 grams of finely ground coffee. Add your coffee grounds to your portafilter and tamp. Pull a double shot of espresso.
Add 1/2 oz or 1 tablespoon of cascara syrup to your double espresso and stir well. Proceed to steam your milk and pour twice as much hot milk as you have espresso.
To decorate you can add a sprinkle of extra cascara on top of your drink.
Serve and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cascara Latte Ingredients
What Does Cascara Latte Taste Like?
The cascara topping on a cascara latte is creamy, sweet and floral with a dominant espresso flavor. It’s made with dried coffee cherry extract and sugar.
Some coffee lovers note the earthy undertones and lots of espresso flavor.
What Is A Cascara Latte At Starbucks?
A cascara latte at Starbucks is a shot of espresso with coconut milk and paired with cascara sugar.
What Does Cascara Taste Like?
Cascara on its own tastes like dried fruits, apricots and raisins with hints of orange zest and notes of hibiscus.
Read: Cascara latte
Is Cascara Tea Or Coffee?
Cascara can be used to make a cascara tea or a cascara coffee but by all means it is coffee as it is the skin of coffee cherries that have been sun dried.
Is Cascara Legal In EU?
Unfortunately, cascara cannot be sold legally in the European Union due to a 1997 EU law that prohibits novel food items from being sold in the EU that has not already been widely consumed in the countries that make up the European Union must be proven safe before it can be sold.
Is Cascara Better Than Coffee?
Naturally opinions vary, and while I did enjoy trying it, and will certainly try it again. A cascara tea or coffee has 25 mg of caffeine per 8 Oz cup, which is 1/3 the caffeine of a latte This makes for a better late evening drink than a coffee and a nice alternative to tea or decaffeinated coffee.
It’s not better, it’s not worse, it’s just different.
What Does Cascara Mean in coffee?
The term cascara comes from the Spanish language and translates to skin, peel or husk. It’s the sun-dried skin from coffee cherries.
What Is Cascara Coffee Made From?
Cascara coffee is made from dried coffee cherries. A Cascara latte is made from steamed coconut milk, espresso, cascara syrup and a sprinkling of cascara sugar at Starbucks.
Final Thoughts – Cascara Latte Ingredients
Most of the cascara latte ingredients are easy to find, depending on your location, cascara can be difficult to find but in this day and age it can be ordered online with Amazon and eBay both selling it.
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Derek Marshall
Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location
