Home made low fat frozen coffee drink mix

[phaelon56]

Warm weather is finally here again in the northeast (although it will plummet into the 20's tonight!). After countless experiments in the past trying to duplicate but also do better than the Starbucks frozen frappuccino drinks... I'm trying a new approach.

The clone of a frozen frappuccino involved use of extra strong coffee and/or espresso mixed with some sugar. A bit of pure vanilla extract, a small amount of chocolate syrup (not enough to really be tasted as chocolate) and a dash of salt were then added along with milk. Just before blending with ice, a tiny bit of carageenan was added as a thickener (about 1/8 teaspoon per 20 oz of liquid drink total). The drink was generally pretty good but it does not lend itself to commercial preparation and the consistency was difficult to control.

I have tested the Jet brand liquid milk based vanilla drink base. It's better than some - uses natural vanilla, Parmalat style milk and has beet sugar as a sweetener. But it's too sweet and too expensive. Also has too strong a vanilla flavor and the milk is not quite right to my taste. It uses guar gum, locust bean gum and carageenan as thickeners and stabilizers.

Also looked at the Big Train powdered mix used by many cafes. It has the coffee (powdered freeze dried) flavor already in it (yuck!). Also has high fructose corn sweetener, powdered non-fat dry milk, hydrogenated oils to add the mouthfeel/taste sensation of fat, and lots-o-artificial ingredients.

The Goal: a low-fat frozen drink that tastes great, stays together and is easy to make on the fly.

Possible ingredients:

for the powdered base - powdered non-fat dry milk, vanilla powder, carageenan, tiny amount cocoa or chocolate powder

for the liquid - regular milk and some Toddy cold coffee concentrate

for the sweetener - either confectioner's sugar mixed in with the powdered base or possibly simple syrup added by the drink to taste

Questions:

- are guar gum and/or locust bean gum helpful or are they in the Jet concentrate just to help the liquid ingredients stay stable in storage and before blending?

- is there a natural powdered sweetener other than confectioner's sugar that might be useful in the powdered base?

Ideas and /or comments?

[natasha1270]

Top Secret Recipes has a clone of the Frappucino on their website: Top Secret Frappucino-like recipe

It is essentially espresso, lowfat milk (2%), sugar & pectin.

enjoy!

N.

[jsolomon]

You haven't tried anything like sweetened condensed milk in it, too, have you?

[phaelon56]

I have already done extensive experimentation with the topscretrecipes clone drink. I actually improved on it but I'm still looking for something that will lend itself to a moderately high volume commercial application.

Have not yet done anything with sweetened condensed milk. That's a separate recipe and different style of drink to an extent but I'm putting it next on the list - in essence - a frozen Cafe Sua Da - Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk.

[laurenmilan]

Have not yet done anything with sweetened condensed milk. That's a separate recipe and different style of drink to an extent but I'm putting it next on the list - in essence - a frozen Cafe Sua Da - Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk.

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That's strong enough to knock your customers on their ear! I like it!

Too bad Borden doesn't still have their old label-collecting incentives for their sweetened condensed milk, or every Vietnamese restauranteur would be walking around in a fur coat.

[phaelon56]

Too bad Borden doesn't still have their old label-collecting incentives for their sweetened condensed milk, or every Vietnamese restauranteur would be walking around in a fur coat. 

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Yes - except the ones who strive for the most authentic drink (i.e. closest to what is served in Vietnam) mostly seem to use a different brand of condensed milk that's sold in some Asian markets. I've seen speculation in a thread here somewhere that there may actually be a quantifiable (i.e. something one can taste) in brands. Is that possible? I remain skeptical.

[melkor]

Yes - except the ones who strive for the most authentic drink (i.e. closest to what is served in Vietnam) mostly seem to use a different brand of condensed milk that's sold in some Asian markets. I've seen speculation in a thread here somewhere that there may actually be a quantifiable (i.e. something one can taste) in brands. Is that possible?  I remain skeptical.

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There is most definately a difference in taste. Different brands use different amounts of sugar, and some are more concentrated than others.

[laurenmilan]

Yes - except the ones who strive for the most authentic drink (i.e. closest to what is served in Vietnam) mostly seem to use a different brand of condensed milk that's sold in some Asian markets. I've seen speculation in a thread here somewhere that there may actually be a quantifiable (i.e. something one can taste) in brands. Is that possible?  I remain skeptical.

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Good point... I've used Longevity brand a lot for this recipe, usually because it's in the market on the shelf near the Cafe Du Monde French Roast coffee I pick up for the recipe. That's a brand I usually see being used in the restaurants too. Haven't actually tried it with Borden yet myself...

[Mayhaw Man]

Yes - except the ones who strive for the most authentic drink (i.e. closest to what is served in Vietnam) mostly seem to use a different brand of condensed milk that's sold in some Asian markets. I've seen speculation in a thread here somewhere that there may actually be a quantifiable (i.e. something one can taste) in brands. Is that possible?  I remain skeptical.

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Good point... I've used Longevity brand a lot for this recipe, usually because it's in the market on the shelf near the Cafe Du Monde French Roast coffee I pick up for the recipe. That's a brand I usually see being used in the restaurants too. Haven't actually tried it with Borden yet myself...

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Recently I have been working on a story about Gulf Coast Vietnamese Food (it is, pretty much without argument, the center of Vietnamese dining in the US) and until I started on this, I was under the impression that Vietnamese in New Orleans used CDM because it was available. I was quite suprised to find out that, to a large degree, it is because they really prefer it. I had some today, at lunch, as a matter of fact. At Cafe Pho Bang-a great pho joint on Veterans Blvd near the airport in New Orleans.

And they were using a brand of condensed milk other than Borden, La Lechera-by Nestle-I asked why they were using it and the woman said that it was "not as sweet" as the kind in the red can" (I assume that she meant Eagle Brand, but she was not sure). This is commonly sold here in ethnic markets and also, I recently noticed, at the Dollar General stores-which are now carrying a number of ethnic foods.

[missmaia]

Do you have a local high- volume dairy? If so, You may want to call and ask if they have a low-fat ice-cream base. It's a liquid base (usually yogurt-type, if it's low-fat) used to make soft-serve ice cream cones, Definately *not* something I'd want in my morning cereal, but put into a blender with ice, chocolate, a dash of vanilla and espresso it is pretty darn tasty.

[phaelon56]

Do you have a local high- volume dairy? If so, You may want to call and ask if they have a low-fat  ice-cream base. It's a liquid base (usually yogurt-type, if it's low-fat)  used to make soft-serve ice cream cones

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Here in Syracuse we're close to being smack dab in the heart of NY State dairy farming country and yes... there is a local place that makes a mix of the type you're describing.

Good idea I think. I was traveling last week and tried a frozen espresso drink that used vanilla low fat frozen yogurt as the base and it was outstanding - much richer tasting and creamier with less separation than a frappuccino yet it was not overly sweet. Thamnks for the good suggestion.