Coca Cola Recipe

Make a simple syrup by combining 2 cups granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar completely dissolves. Do not boil vigorously. Once dissolved, remove from heat.

Stir in 2 tablespoons prepared caramel color (or 2 tbsp burnt sugar syrup made by melting 2 tbsp sugar until dark brown then carefully adding 1–2 tbsp hot water) until evenly incorporated. If using food-grade caffeine, dissolve 1/4 tsp into a tablespoon of the warm syrup now. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Prepare the citrus and spice infusion: in a small mortar (or a small bowl), gently bruise the orange, lemon and lime zests with the crushed coriander to release oils. If you don’t have a mortar, finely grate zests and combine with crushed coriander.

In a small saucepan or heatproof jar, warm about 2 tablespoons of the cooled syrup (from Syrup Base)—do not boil. Add the bruised zests, crushed coriander, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Warm gently for 5 minutes to help volatile oils and aromatics marry, then remove from heat.

If using orange oil and lime oil (concentrated essences), add 1/8 tsp orange oil and 1/16 tsp lime oil to the warm infusion. Add 1/16 tsp neroli or orange blossom water if using. Let the mixture steep and cool for 20–30 minutes for full flavor extraction.

Strain the infusion through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into the remaining cooled syrup. Press on solids to extract as much flavor as possible, then discard solids. Taste and adjust: the concentrate should be strongly flavored but not overly bitter. If too intense, dilute slightly with a teaspoon of water; if too weak, steep a second short batch of zests and spices and add a little more.

Chill 6 cups of carbonated water thoroughly. Fill a large pitcher or individual serving glasses with ice if desired.

Mix the cola: for a balanced house-style cola, add 3/4 cup of the prepared cola syrup (adjust to taste) to each 6 cups of cold carbonated water (this yields about 6 cups of finished cola). If you want stronger flavor, increase syrup up to 1 cup per 6 cups carbonated water. Stir gently once to combine — avoid vigorous stirring to preserve carbonation.

Taste and adjust sweetness and acidity. If the cola tastes flat, add a splash (1–2 tsp) of fresh lemon or lime juice. If too sweet, add a little more chilled carbonated water. If caffeine was omitted earlier and you want a caffeinated drink, dissolve food-grade caffeine in a small amount of warm water and add sparingly, mixing well.

Serve immediately over ice with an optional lemon or lime wedge garnish.