Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

It is astonishingly humid in Singapore now, and even being in the shade at home brings little comfort, when the open window brings even warmer air into the house. The middle of the year is typically when Singaporeans leave for vacations, but like everything else in this current health crisis, all my travel plans went up in smoke. While the borders to other countries remain shut, and I’m still leery even of unnecessary trips out of the safety of my house, it seems the only thing to do is to crank up the AC and to drink our way through the day with plenty of beer, coconuts and cold brew coffee. And occasionally, perhaps spending an afternoon arranging coffee beans on a table. 

But this cold brew recipe is worth all the extra effort you bring to the table (see what I did there?). Each glass brings a brief reprieve from the heat, and between everyone in the family (well, mainly me), I've been running through my coffee bean stash something fierce. 

Amidst all the bad news this year that we had been hearing about on a daily basis, it's nice to be able to unplug for a while, kick back with chilled glass of coffee and enjoy a pleasant afternoon.   

Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

Original Recipe from Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS

170g whole coffee beans (about 1 1/2 cups whole beans), coarsely ground

1020g (about 4 1/4 cups) cold water

STEPS

1. In a large pot, combine ground coffee and water. Stir until well mixed. Cover with a lid and let stand at room temperature, for 8 to 12 hours.

2. Strain well. Transfer the concentrate into an airtight container. Refrigerate until well-chilled.

To serve: Combine fresh milk with the coffee concentrate. Adjust proportion to taste. 

Variation: Melbourne Iced Coffee: Taking a leaf out of one of my favourite cafes in Melbourne, substitute the milk for a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a richer creamier taste.