Our Coffee Recipe

Time20m

Serves2

Make Our Coffee Recipe in just 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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1
Grind
Weigh 32 g of whole coffee beans. Grind to a medium-fine consistency suited for pour-over or drip (slightly finer than drip but not espresso fine).
2
Heat water
Bring 480 ml filtered water to 92–96°C (195–205°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring to a boil and let rest 30 seconds.
3
Brew (pour-over method)
Place filter in your dripper and rinse with hot water. Add ground coffee to the filter and level. Start a timed pour: bloom with 60 ml hot water and wait 30–45 seconds. Continue pouring in slow concentric circles until you reach 480 ml total. Aim for a total brew time of 2:30–3:30 minutes. If using a drip machine, use the same coffee and water amounts and brew normally.

4
Combine 2 tbs packed brown sugar and 2 tbs water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
5
Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer (about 1–2 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract, and let cool slightly. Transfer to a small jar — this yields about 2–3 tablespoons of syrup (enough for 2 drinks).

6
Pour 240 ml whole milk into a milk pitcher. If using plant milk, use the optional milk ingredient and note that frothing behavior will differ slightly.
7
Steam or heat and froth the milk: If you have a steam wand, steam milk to 60–65°C (140–149°F) creating microfoam. If you don't have a steam wand, heat milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm (do not boil), then froth using a handheld frother or by shaking vigorously in a sealed jar for 30–45 seconds. Reserve milk until assembly.

8
Taste the brewed coffee and add brown vanilla syrup to taste: for two cups, add 1 tbs syrup per cup (adjust to preference). Stir gently to combine.
9
Divide the sweetened coffee between two warmed mugs (approximately 240 ml coffee per mug).
10
Pour steamed/frothed milk over the coffee, holding back foam with a spoon and then spooning a thin layer of foam on top to finish.
11
Dust each cup with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and top with a light sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings (about 1/2 tbs per cup). Serve immediately.