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Ingredients
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Cold Brew Concentrate
Beignet Flavoring & Sweetener
Service & Dilution
Method
Cold Brew Concentrate
- 1
Combine coffee and water
In a clean 1‑qt (or larger) jar or pitcher, add 1 cup coarsely ground coffee. Pour 4 cups cold, filtered water over the grounds. Stir gently with a spoon to ensure all grounds are saturated.
- 2
Steep
Cover the jar or pitcher and let the coffee steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 16 to 20 hours for best flavor. Longer steeping (up to 24 hours) yields stronger concentrate; shorter (12–14 hours) will be milder.
- 3
Strain
After steeping, strain the coffee through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or a nut-milk bag into a clean container. If using a sieve, strain slowly and repeat if necessary to remove fine sediment. You now have cold brew concentrate (about 3 to 3.5 cups).
Beignet Flavoring & Sweetener
- 4
Make beignet syrup
While the cold brew concentrates or after it is strained, combine 2 tbs granulated sugar, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a small saucepan with 2 tbs (30 ml) water. Add 1 tsp melted unsalted butter. Warm over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and the mixture is fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool. This creates a lightly spiced syrup that mimics beignet notes.
- 5
Adjust sweetness and texture
Taste the syrup and adjust — add up to 1 tbs more granulated sugar if you want sweeter or a pinch more cinnamon to emphasize spice. If you prefer a thicker syrup, simmer very gently an additional 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat and cool completely.
Assemble & Serve
- 6
Prepare glass
Fill a tall glass or two small glasses with ice (about 1 to 1.5 cups of ice per serving).
- 7
- 8
- 9
Storage
Store any leftover cold brew concentrate refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 7 days. Keep the beignet syrup in a small jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; bring to room temperature or warm slightly before using if it solidifies.