One of the things we love about summer is ice-cold espresso drinks. Having an espresso machine at home unlocks a nearly endless menu of drinks you can make just by adding a little bit of ice and creativity. We put together a short list of 3 easy-to-make iced espresso drinks that are the perfect companion to a hot summer day.

Iced Latte

This incredibly simple & delicious drink is a staple, and is easy to whip up on the fly—bonus points for variations like adding vanilla syrup or chocolate (iced mocha). For this iced latte, we used Counter Culture’s Hologram Blend at a 1:2 brew ratio (18g in: 36g out) on a programmed GS3 AV.

The Recipe: 

1. Pour 3-4 oz. of your preferred milk into a cup (be sure to leave enough room for espresso and ice)

2. Pull a shot of espresso directly over the milk

3. Give it a quick stir

4. Add Ice

Quick note: you’ll want to be sure to add enough ice to cool everything down, so be sure to leave enough room in your glass for a substantial amount of ice—otherwise you’ll spill like we did here. 

Caramel Shakerato

The Caramel Shakerato is a variation on the Iced Latte, but packs a delicious caramelized punch. For this recipe, we used a homemade caramel sauce, milk, espresso, ice, and a Cobbler Shaker. Using a shaker adds a nice light & airy texture to the drink.

The Recipe

1. Dose 40g caramel into a cup

2. Pull a shot of espresso over the caramel

3. Mix caramel and espresso

4. Pour mixture into Shaker, add milk & ice

5. Shake your heart out

6. Pour over ice

7. Enjoy!

For a non-dairy alternative, use Almond Milk and this Almondmilk Caramel Sauce Recipe.

Affogato

Italian for “drowned,” the affogato traditionally combines espresso with gelato to create a sweet & creamy dessert that’s easy to make. For this iteration, we used Salt & Straw’s Toasted White Chocolate ice cream, which we’ve been featuring at La Marzocco Cafe throughout the month of August.

The Recipe:

1. Scoop 1-2 scoops of your preferred ice cream or gelato into a small rocks-sized glass (about 4 oz.).

2. Pull a shot of espresso directly over the ice cream.

3. Serve & Enjoy

Quick Note: You’ll probably find yourself playing around with the espresso to ice cream ratio a bit. There’s no wrong way to do it—kind of like how a root beer float tastes good no matter what.

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To learn more about brew ratios and home espresso, be sure to check out our free online class series with Chefsteps.