Forest Coffee Menu Recipe

Lightly toast and crush

In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the juniper berries and cardamom pods for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat and gently crush the toasted spices with the back of a spoon or mortar and pestle — keep pieces coarse.

Bruise the rosemary sprigs with the back of a knife or by pinching to release oils. Combine the bruised rosemary, crushed juniper and cardamom, and dried orange peel in a small heatproof bowl. Add the split vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) and set aside.

Bring 750 ml water to just off boiling (~95°C / 203°F). Place 0.5 cups coarsely ground dark roast coffee in a large French press or pour-over cone and add the prepared forest infusion ingredients on top of the grounds so the hot water will extract their aromatics with the coffee.

Pour a small amount of hot water (about 100 ml) over the grounds and infusion to bloom for 30 seconds. Then pour the remaining hot water evenly over the grounds. If using a French press, stir gently, place the lid (without plunging) and let steep 4 minutes. If using a pour-over, allow coffee to drain through completely (approx. 3–4 minutes total).

If you used a French press, slowly press the plunger down after steeping. Immediately transfer the brewed coffee to a heatproof server to stop extraction.

While the coffee is hot, add 2 tsp maple syrup (or honey) and 0.25 tsp fine sea salt to the brewed coffee and stir until dissolved. Add 0.5 tsp vanilla bean seeds (or 0.5 tsp vanilla extract if used earlier) to deepen the vanilla flavor.

Optional: For a silky mouthfeel, whisk 1 tsp cold unsalted butter into about 60 ml of the hot coffee until emulsified, then stir it back into the remaining pot. This creates a smooth, slightly creamy texture reminiscent of a latte without fully using milk.

Pour 120 ml heavy cream or oat milk into a small frothing pitcher and heat/foam as desired. Pour 180–200 ml of the infused coffee into each serving cup (adjust portion to yield total servings below). Add frothed cream or oat milk to taste (about 30–60 ml per cup).

Garnish each cup with a small rosemary sprig and a thin strip of orange zest. Serve immediately while hot.

Leftover coffee can be refrigerated up to 48 hours. Reheat gently and stir before serving.