Now, you might think that after all these years you’ve nailed how to make a damn good cuppa. But there are a few small things you can do to make your coffee even more delicious. Below are some tips for brewing a kick-ass instant coffee.

Pre-heating

First thing’s first, fill up the kettle with freshly drawn water and pop it on. Freshly drawn water will have more oxygen than water that has already been boiled. You’ll need to boil more than you need, as we suggest pre-heating the cups with boiling water to ensure your coffee stays warmer for longer.

Coffee to water ratio

The amount of coffee you’ll need really depends on your desired strength of coffee. For the optimum flavour from our flavoured instant coffees, we suggest a ratio of 2g (roughly one heaped teaspoon) of instant coffee granules for every 200ml of hot water. We know it sounds geeky, but it might be worth finding out the capacity of your favourite mug so you can work out exactly how much coffee you should be using. If you prefer your coffee a little stronger or a little weaker, you can just add more or less instant coffee to taste. Easy peasy!

Water temperature

We get it if you don’t want to get your thermometer out, but nevertheless, water temperature is always important however you chose to brew coffee. Ideally, water needs to be at 94 degrees Celsius to ensure it doesn’t burn the coffee and makes the most flavoursome cup of Joe. We suggest boiling the kettle and waiting a minute for it to cool slightly before pouring. Alternatively, you can cut the boil short by turning the kettle off just before it starts bubbling.

And to finish…

Milk is optional but, if you’re a latte lover, we’ve got a little secret. We love to mix whole milk with some single cream to make a super creamy and silky, smooth coffee. This method tastes great with our entire flavoured instant coffee range. Sugar is optional but, because we don’t add sugar to any of our flavoured coffees, some of our flavours are brought out more with a touch of Demerara sugar. We’ll leave that one up to you!

You’ll need:

• We Are Little’s flavoured instant coffee of your choice
• Your favourite mug
• Teaspoon
• Water
• Kettle
• Milk/cream (optional)
• Sugar (optional) 

Method:

• Boil the kettle (remember to boil a little more than you need)
• Pre-heat your mug by filling it with hot water from the kettle. When the cup feels warm, discard the water
• Add 2g of Little’s flavoured instant coffee to the mug (approx. 1 heaped teaspoon)
• One minute after the kettle has boiled, pour 200ml of hot water over the coffee granules
• Stir until the granules dissolve
• Add milk, cream or sugar to taste
• Serve and enjoy!

Our flavoured ground coffee doesn’t have to be reserved for the cafetière. It makes an excellent cup of cold brew coffee, too. We’ve been experimenting with our Chocolate caramel ground coffee and we’ve learnt that letting the coffee infuse overnight really makes the caramel flavour pop, so you end up with a delightfully sweet, moreish cup of coffee. This will be a new staple in your fridge.

What is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew is ground coffee that’s steeped in cold water for anywhere between 12-24 hours. Cold brew is less acidic than hot brewed coffee and tends to have a smooth, sweet taste that’s less bitter than your average cup of coffee. So you can see the appeal, right? Add chocolate caramel flavour to the mix and you can imagine just how good this tastes. Plus, it’s so easy to make!

Our top tips for the perfect cold brew

• Dilute with lots of ice and, if you’re looking for a less strong cup of coffee, add still or sparkling water. Cold brew tends to have a higher caffeine content than a regular cup of coffee because of the ratios of coffee to water when making a batch.
• Use a Kilner or large jar (you could even recycle your used Little’s jars – how about that!) and you can keep a batch in the fridge for 2-3 days. Perfect for mornings when you’re running late or don’t want to boil the kettle.
• Cold brew can be warmed up if you need a cosy cup of coffee and it’ll taste just as good!

How to make Chocolate Caramel Cold Brew Coffee

You’ll need:

• 50g chocolate caramel ground coffee
• Cold water

Method:

1. Put your ground coffee into a large jar and top with cold water. Cover your jar and give it a little wiggle before leaving at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
2. Strain your coffee – you can do this with a coffee filter, a muslin/cheese cloth or, like we’ve done, a sieve lined with a sheet of kitchen roll. You want it to be free of any coffee grounds.
3. Serve with ice, a dash of still or sparkling water for a less strong coffee, and some milk if you prefer. It tastes just as good without, too.
4. Keep the rest in the fridge for 2-3 days and drink when you need a little caffeine hit!

Watch the tutorial video here!

@wearelittlescoffee

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♬ death bed (coffee for your head) - Powfu & beabadoobee

I think it’s fair to say it’s been a total rollercoaster of a year, hasn’t it? Well, lockdown seems to be finally easing up – with outdoor meet-ups in small groups a-go and the weather trying to warm up – so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite chilled coffee recipes that can be quickly and easily whipped up in batch at home and taken out about for sharing with friends. All you’ll need is a Thermos or a clever bottle to keep your drinks cool and some reusable cups or glasses. Enjoy!

1. Little’s amazing iced coffee

A classic but a goodie. Grab a blender (or a Nutri-bullet) and your favourite jar of Little’s for deliciously thick iced coffees you can easily share out. The added sweetness from agave syrup is just enough and means you don’t have to add any refined sugar. Win!

Little’s amazing iced coffee recipe

2. Easy chocolate caramel cold brew

This recipe calls for our flavoured ground coffee and it’s just so ridiculously quick and easy to make in batch. It’s also blinking delicious and very drinkable. Make this the day before your picnic or garden party so it has enough time to brew in the fridge before you decant it.

Easy chocolate caramel cold brew recipe

3. Coffee soda

A little while ago we made three coffee mocktails that are genuinely SO good and we think our coffee soda (or our Coffee & Tonic tbh) would be perfect for al fresco drinking in batches. Simply make a large quantity of the vanilla coffee syrup ahead of time and combine with chilled soda and a wedge of lemon on the day.

3 coffee mocktail recipes that’ll blow your mind

4. Chocolate orange espresso martinis

OK, so this one is traditionally a festive recipe but why not break the rules a little?! Don’t get me wrong, this one requires a little bit of work but it’s so worth it for a little boozy treat with friends. Our advice, double up the recipe so you make enough for two in one go and decant into a Thermos that you can shake up again before serving to maintain the frothiness. You can take or leave the chocolate, or mix up the flavour of coffee – amaretto would be great, as would chocolate caramel!

Chocolate orange espresso martini recipe

5. Piña colada coffee

This little gem was created to celebrate Piña Colada Day – it’s a thing! – and it’s such a fresh and delicious drink for a hot day. A combo of our Havana rum coffee with coconut milk and pineapple juice, this one is so easy to make in a large batch for all to share! A little glass of Summer right here.

Piña colada coffee recipe

Nothing says Pancake Day more than a messy frying pan and the smell of burning batter. Here is our version of the pancakes you should be making this Shrove Tuesday.

Ingredients:

Makes 8 small pancakes

• 1-2 tbsp of Little’s double chocolate instant coffee (but you can use any flavour you like!)
• 1 cup of sifted plain flour (wholemeal if you wanna be healthy)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg

Double chocolate coffee pancakes method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 70ºC (this is just so you can keep the finished pancakes warm while you’re finishing the others).
2. Throw the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and stir together. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and milk. Now add the Little’s Flavoured Instant Coffee granules and whisk until the coffee dissolves.
3. Now it’s time to introduce the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and give them a little mix together, without over-mixing. The pancake batter should have small lumps in it, don’t worry, this is normal!
4. Heat your frying pan on a medium-low heat and brush the pan with a tablespoon of butter (or coconut oil). Fill up a ¼ of a cup with the batter mix and pour into the pan. Cook the batter until bubbles form along the sides and in the centre.
5. Now the fun part... flip your coffee pancakes like a boss. It’s easier said than done and there’s bound to be a disaster, but it’s all part of the fun, right? Cook on the flip side until golden brown. Transfer your pancakes to the oven to keep warm until you're ready to eat.
6. Serve with warm maple syrup, honey, yoghurt, fruit… pretty much anything you fancy!

Shop Little’s Chocolate flavoured coffee.