Pronounced âfrah-pehâ, the traditional Greek Frappe is one of the most refreshing iced coffee preparations in the world. A coffee restaurant chain staple, the foam-covered drink is generally made using instant coffee and is sometimes perceived as a European variant of the rich cold coffee made with full cream milk and served with ice cream and toppings. Also known as âfrapaâ when made without milk and âfrapogaloâ when the quantity of milk is more in comparison to the traditional preparation, the Frappe first appeared at the International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki, Greece way back in 1957. Though, just over 60 years old, the recipe has firmly established itself in Greek culture and the Frappe is now recognized worldwide as the national beverage of Greece. This simple preparation, of course, is a quick fix coffee drink for summertime that is less calorific than the regular cold coffee. Let’s get cracking and prepare this traditional Greek Frappe.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 10 minutes
Resources Required:
- 6 tsps Nestle Instant coffee powder
- 1.2 L cold water
- 4 tbsp flavored syrup or brown sugar
- 120 ml cream (optional) or an equal quantity of fat-free milk
- 1 large Pitcher
- An electric blender
- 3-4 Tall glasses
- 3-4 straws
- 6 cups Ice cubes
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sprinkles
- Peppermint candy sticks
Instructions:
1. To make Frappe using an electric blender
- The easiest way to make a Frappe is to use an electric blender to mix all the ingredients. Add the instant coffee, sugar, cream or milk, and chilled water to the bender jar and secure the lid well.
- Then, blend at the minimum speed for a minute and let the mixture sit for 10 seconds.
- Blend again, this time at the highest speed and let it mix well for 2 minutes.
- Then open the lid and add the ice cubes and blend again for 2 minutes.
- To serve, lace the sides of the glass with the chocolate syrup and fill in half the glass with crushed ice, then gently pour in the Frappe and top with whipped cream, candy sticks and chocolate shavings or sprinkles and serve with a straw.
2. To make Frappe using a shaker
- The only thing to remember when using a shaker to mix a Frappe is that this method cannot be used to prepare larger quantities of the drink at one go. So, you may need to adjust the quantities of the ingredients accordingly.
- To prepare the Frappe in a shaker (one serving at a time), add a couple of teaspoons of coffee powder and sugar in the jar and mix well using a long metal spoon.
- Add a few drops of water and mix till the dry ingredients start to melt.
- Stir the spoon vigorously and a creamy, frothy texture should appear.
- For best results, just moisten the sugar-coffee mixture instead of diluting it with water.
- When the sugar appears to have completely melted in the coffee and the mixture has sufficiently grown in quantity and looks like whipped cream in texture, add cold water and milk gently by tilting the jar slightly.
- Then add the ice and secure the lid of the shaker and shake well.
- Serve in tall glasses laced with syrup, crushed ice and top with garnishes and a straw!
3. To make a lemon Frappe
- To make a lemon Frappe, you will require half a cup of ginger ale, 2 tbsp of lemon sherbet, around 400 ml of ice cold water, and a tsp of frozen lemonade concentrate.
- Place the ingredients into a blender and blend on minimum speed for one minute.
- Then blend on a higher speed for a couple of minutes to get an even consistency.
- To add more texture, you may also add a handful of ice cubes.
- Once the lemonade concentrates and sherbet and water are fully mixed, transfer them to a large pitcher and stir in the ginger ale with the help of a large wooden spatula or spoon.
- Avoid using a metallic spoon since it may react with the lemon juice in the mixture and alter the taste of the drink.
- To serve, pour the lemon Frappe into tall glasses filled with crushed ice or ice cubes and garnish with a fresh mint sprig and lemon wedges and finish with your choice of straws and cocktail accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can the Traditional Greek Frappe be made in advance?
It is generally not advised to prepare coffee drinks and shakes in advance since the foam settles once the drink is left sitting for a while. Though the Frappe can easily be shaken again, it doesn’t retain its silken, frothy texture when prepared in advance, so it is best to always prepare it fresh and serve instantly.
Quick Tips:
- The traditional Greek drink calls for less milk and more water though you can vary the recipe to suit your taste.
- The texture of the foam and the drink can be adjusted by altering the amount of milk/cream and water.
- Never use a wet blender or shaker to mix your Frappe as the dry coffee powder and sugar may get stuck to the moist surface and result in an uneven flavor.
- The authentic Greek recipe uses Nescafe Classic but you can make it with your favorite blend as well though it is preferable not to make a Frappe with a coffee powder that has a higher chicory content.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Nescafe Classic has a higher percentage of caffeine in it so you should not drink more than two glasses of a Frappe in a day or it will interfere with your sleep and heighten your blood pressure.
- Decaffeinated coffee powder may also be used to make Frappes for children and people with medical conditions.
