Hot Cocoa Mix

This recipe comes from Laura Young (our controller at AirNet Group):

• 20 lb. dry powdered milk
• 3+ lb. Nestle’s Quick
• 2 lb. powdered sugar
• 3+ lb. powdered cream

Mix all above ingredients together thoroughly.

To drink:

1. Fill cup 1/3 to 1/2 full of mix and add boiling water.
2. Top with marshmallows.

How to use the AeroPress (my way)

1. Boil water.
2. Grind two scoops of roasted beans on a medium-fine setting.
   
3. Put the filter in the AeroPress (this can be easy to forget sometimes). Also, if you re-use the filter like I do, it may be a little crinkled. To smooth it out, just add a little bit of water to wet it.
   
4. Put the AeroPress on your coffee mug. Put the funnel on the AeroPress. Add coffee grounds.
   
5. Pour your water into the plunger. Somewhere around the 3rd circle should be good. (see photo above)
6. Pour the water into the AeroPress until it’s right at the bottom of the funnel.
   
7. Remove the funnel and stir the grounds with the paddle to make sure everything is mixed well.
   
8. Put the plunger on top and push! Depending on your grind setting, this may be too easy or too hard. Experiment with your grinder to find the right setting. Ideally, you’ll want it to be difficult to plunge, but not impossible.
9. Remove and clean up the AeroPress. Dump the coffee “puck” into the trash. Save your filter if you’d like (it’s usually good for 5-7 shots).
10. Enjoy your espresso!
    

Originally posted on PhragMunkee.com

My take on the Starbucks Frappuccino

I started with the recipe from this recipe which makes a pretty good frappuccino. In fact, that recipe has more of a true coffee taste than Starbucks. However, according to Amy, it didn’t have enough chocolate (or enough ice, I thought). So, here’s what I did:

• 3/4 cup double-strength coffee, cold
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup low-fat milk (or vanilla Silk works pretty well)
• 3 cups ice
• ~5 tablespoons chocolate syrup

For people with an AeroPress, you’ll want to do two presses to get the desired amount of coffee. I usually do my presses with two scoops of beans on a medium-fine grind and fill the water to right at the bottom of the funnel.

I think I’ll try doing the original recipe for the guys at work on Tuesday.

This is cross-posted from my post on PhragMunkee.com.