Brew This Book: Make Coffee Shop Lattes, Cold Brews, Frappes and More at Home for a Fraction of the Price, written by Asia Lui Chapa, features an exciting collection of hot, cold, and sparkling coffee-based drinks for the home kitchen. A few highlights include Vanilla Pistachio Latte, Five Spice Cafecito de Olla, Greek Frappe, Sparkling Rose Americano, and Espresso Martini Granita. I will also be sharing her recipe for a Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Asia Lui Chapa
Asia Lui Chapa is an author, drink recipe developer, and video creator. She started AC Home Café in Spring 2020 as a way to share her passion for drinks with others.
Her work has been featured with Guinness, Captain Morgan, Peet’s Coffee, and more. Asia is also the author of The Home Café. She is currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Brew This Book
Asia begins Brew This Book with a short introduction before going over a few helpful notes to get started. Those new to brewing coffee at home will appreciate the descriptions and charts highlighting the varieties of beans, roasts, and flavor profiles.
She also covers ingredients such as the types of milk and sugar along with styles of machines and accompanying equipment. Most of the drinks in this book can be prepared with basic kitchen brewing equipment and substitutions are given when possible. Having an espresso machine (manual or automatic) and a milk frother will be particularly helpful.
Chapters are divided according to style: Espresso on a Budget, Dime-a-Dozen Drip Coffees, Instant Coffee Delights, Sparkling and Saving, Thrifty Coffee Cocktails, and Stocking Your Homemade Sweeteners. The contents page has a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
I especially love the focus on homemade syrups including Brown Sugar Syrup and Cinnamon Syrup with different methods of preparation.
The photography is provided by Gaby J Photography. Every single recipe is paired with a beautifully styled photo of the finished beverage.
Measurements are listed in ounces and milliliters. There is a note next to each recipe with the serving size (usually 1) and a symbol for the cost per serving of the drink.
Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee
Of all the coffee I have tried so far in Brew This Book, the Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee is currently my favorite.
This simple drip coffee is transformed into quite the comforting drink with a layer of salted vanilla honey cream over the top.
It also comes together quickly in the time it takes to brew the coffee with minimal prep. While the coffee is brewing, whisk or froth heavy cream with honey, vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt until light and airy.
Gently pour the thickened cream over the freshly brewed coffee and serve immediately with a drizzle of honey and an additional pinch of salt.
A Few Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee Notes
I used a tablespoon of honey, but Asia also has a recipe for a Honey Syrup in the book.
I have made the cream with both the frother and by hand using a whisk. Both are doable- though the frother will definitely be quicker with less of an arm workout.
Froth/whisk the cream just until starting to thicken, but while still pourable. If you mix too much, you will end up with whipped cream.
This drink is best immediately after preparing.
More Coffee
I also made the Dark & Stormy London Fog, Salted Caramel Iced Macchiato, Espresso Italian Cream Soda, and Espresso Margarita.
The Dark & Stormy London Fog is a comforting blend of coffee and tea. An Earl Grey tea bag is steeped in freshly brewed espresso, then sweetened with a homemade lavender vanilla syrup (so good!) and topped with steamed milk.
The Salted Caramel Iced Macchiato is such a fantastic use for instant espresso. This beautifully layered drink starts with a homemade caramel syrup (recipe in book) or a caramel sauce, then milk of choice, and finally prepared instant espresso to finish.
A twist on a childhood classic, the Espresso Italian Cream Soda pairs sweetened espresso with sparkling water, crushed ice, and half-and-half. The half-and-half will stop as it reaches the espresso layer and is so fun to watch.
The final chapter in the book has a collection of coffee-based cocktails and begins with an Espresso Margarita. This fusion pairs freshly brewed espresso with tequila, orange liqueur, coffee liqueur, and lime juice. It is served in a turbinado sugar-rimmed glass and lime wheel for garnish.
Brew This Book is a fantastic pick for those interested in making coffee at home. An incredible variety of styles are covered from basic flavored drip coffee to intricately layered drinks. Much of the book is dairy free or can easy be made so using a non-dairy milk.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include pink peppercorns, hazelnuts, coconut whipping cream, nata de coco, and rose water.
Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee Recipe
Excerpt from Brew This Book
Salted Vanilla Honey Cream Coffee
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (240 milliliters) freshly brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey or honey syrup (recipe in book), plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt plus more for garnish
- 1 ounce (30 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Begin by brewing your coffee.
- While that is brewing, add the honey, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and the heavy whipping cream to a small bowl or cup, and froth or whip until it becomes light and airy but still pourable, 30 to 45 seconds.
- To assemble, pour your coffee into your mug and top with your salted honey vanilla cream.
- Drizzle with some extra honey and another pinch of salt, and serve.
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