Pumpkin Spice Spiked Latte

Pumpkin Spice Spiked Latte: great with, or without, the “spike”.

What the world needs now, even more than a pumpkin spice latte, is a Pumpkin Spice SPIKED Latte.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.

Oh, dear God. Not one more PUMPKIN thing.

Well, this one IS necessary, my dear friends. Because it’s actually really, really cozy and delicious, and well…perfect for a fall evening! And the good news is, for you pumpkin haters out there, and I hope you’ve read this far: THERE’S NO PUMPKIN IN IT!!!! You’re really NOT succumbing to the pumpkin thing! It’s just the SPICES that go in pumpkin pies! And those spices are fragrant, warm and seductive! Cinnamon, clove, allspice, cardamom, and ginger! You’ve got all that stuff, many of you, dying a slow, lingering death in your spice cabinet. Pull out those spices, and put them to work, doing something lovely for you, and perhaps for your loved one, with a minimum of fuss and bother. Just make the syrup, which will take you all of 2 minutes, once you find your spices. Froth your milk, mix things up, add a wee bit of brandy, to make things really relaxing, and go cuddle with your honey on a chilly fall evening in front of the fire.

You can thank me later for the wonderful evening you’re about to have!

Remember,  pumpkin haters: there’s no pumpkin in it!!! Just the spices you might use in a pumpkin pie!

I would suggest that if you make this in the evening, you might want to use decaf coffee.  We tried it with bourbon at first, but found we both preferred splashing in a little brandy. And really…who wants to waste perfectly good bourbon?

But we both found it perfectly delicious WITHOUT the alcohol as well, for those of you who prefer to abstain. And if you make it without the alcohol, it would be great on a cold winter’s day, at which point, you can happily enjoy the energy lift you’ll get from a nice cup of fully caffeinated coffee, or a shot of espresso.

The spice in the foreground is crystallized ginger, but you can use regular fresh ginger, if you prefer.

Pumpkin Spice Spiked Latte

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup:

1/4 c. packed brown sugar
4 whole cloves
3 allspice berries
3 cardamom pods, cracked
1 slice crystallized ginger
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
pinch ground black pepper

For the Pumpkin Spice Spiked Latte:

1 T. Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1 c. whole milk, warmed
2 oz. very strong coffee

1 splash of brandy (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

To make the Pumpkin Spice Syrup:

Combine the brown sugar, spices, and 1/4 c. water in a small sauce pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved, and allow syrup to cool. Strain syrup to remove spices. (You can refrigerate any leftovers for up to 2 months.

To make a Latte:

Combine the milk and 1 T. of the pumpkin pie spice syrup, and either froth it in a blender, 20-30 seconds, or do as I did, and stir and froth it with a milk frothing tool, 20-30 seconds. Combine the coffee and frothed milk in a mug.

To Turn the Pumpkin Spice Latte into a PUMPKIN SPICE SPIKED LATTE:

Add a splash of brandy and use decaf coffee, if you desire a more adult beverage, a cozy evening, and a good night’s sleep. 🙂  (To make it extra pretty, you can top it with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or turbinado sugar.)