Five genius ways with iced coffee

Sweltering days aren't very conducive to your regular steaming-hot cup o' Joe. But no need to sweat it out for the sake of your caffeine fix when you can switch up your hot cuppa for a frosty homemade brew.

The best iced coffees are chilled within an inch of their life. We recommend starting the night before or leaving about 40 minutes to extract the coffee and chill in the refrigerator.

Add your choice of sweeteners while the coffee is still piping hot so it dissolves easily. This will form the basis of your brew and you can opt for any one of these clever combinations, courtesy of Map Coffee and Brooke Meredith.

1. Brew your coffee extra strong to combat the melting ice

One big problem with iced coffee is melting ice — no one wants a watery, diluted coffee. To prevent your coffee losing its flavour, brew using an extra strong coffee capsule, so the ice won't be an issue.

2. Freeze some coffee into ice cubes so your coffee never gets watery

Watery iced coffee is a thing of the past with frozen coffee ice cubes — simply freeze the night before and look forward to cold coffee that's undiluted. Check out our recipe for the ultimate iced coffee ice cube hack, or watch it demonstrated in the video above — it's a game-changer. Trying adding the cubes to some ice-cold milk with a splash of sugar syrup for sweetness if you need it. 

3. Add cinnamon for a little zing

Why should tea have all the fun? Add a touch of cinnamon while brewing your coffee. Not a fan of cinnamon? Substitute with your favourite spice.

4. Add a scoop of ice-cream for an instant dessert

Iced coffee doesn't have to be just a drink, it can also be a delicious dessert. For the ultimate decadence simply top off your glass with a scoop of ice-cream for that added treat.

Hot tip: salted caramel ice-cream is perfect if you want something extra special.

5. Give your brew a healthy (or healthier) twist

If highly-processed sweeteners like refined white sugar aren't for you, substitute for raw, organic agave syrup for a rich, vanilla-like aroma and flavour.

Adding cow's milk rich in calcium and protein boosts your bone health and helps to repair muscles. However if dairy doesn't agree with you, go without or substitute for soy, coconut or almond milk.

Brooke Meredith's almond milk iced-coffee recipe

Ingredients
1 double shot espresso
2-3 scoops of hazelnut dairy-free coconut yogurt ice-cream (try Coyo brand)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup of almond milk
cacao nibs (for crunch)

Method

1. Scoop 2–3 scoops of ice-cream into a tall glass.
2. Drizzle the maple syrup over the ice-cream.
3. Pour the almond milk into the glass and lastly add the espresso, and top with cacao nibs for crunch.
4. Stir with a long spoon or a straw, or simply place all in a blender to create an iced espresso smoothie.

Katherine Scott with Jane de Graaff