Ingredients
Method
How to make it:
- Combine the instant coffee, honey, and hot water in a bowl.
- Whisk vigorously (by hand, or with an electric mixer/frother for speed) for 3–5 minutes, until it turns pale, thick, and fluffy — similar to soft-peak whipped cream. Judge it by it's thickness, not how long you've whipped it.
How to drink it:
- Fill a glass with milk (dairy or plant-based) and ice if you want it cold, or heat the milk if you want it warm.
- Spoon the whipped honey-coffee mixture on top — it’ll float.
- Stir it in before drinking, or sip through the foam and mix as you go.
Notes
A couple of notes:
Instant coffee is essential here since the whipping relies on its solubility — brewed coffee won’t whip up the same way.
You can use honey, but honey’s density can make it a little trickier to whip than sugar, so an electric frother or hand mixer helps a lot.
Maple syrup hasn't shown great results in this recipe, but you an add some to the milk before adding the whipped topping.
Store in the fridge-will last a couple days before the foam "deflates" and turns into more of a syrup.
On safety, a mixture of instant coffee, sugar, honey, and a little water is low-risk because the sugar content is high, so it’s unlikely to spoil quickly. I’d still treat it as a day-or-two item for quality.
If you want to make it ahead, a few options:
- Store it covered in the fridge for 1 to 2 days and re-whip it with the hand mixer for a minute or two before using. It usually fluffs back up, especially if you stir in a teaspoon of fresh coffee and sugar first.
- Make a dry mix instead. Store the coffee and sugar mixed together in a jar at room temperature (it keeps for months), then whip a fresh batch with hot water whenever you want one. This is the easiest way to have it ready all week.
- Freeze the foam in portions. Spoon it into an ice cube tray, freeze, and drop a cube or two into milk. It won’t be quite as airy, but it works for iced drinks.