Salted Caramel Mocha Frappe: Pt I

Around the time the other half and I were jaunting around the Boston area for my aunt’s wedding, Starbucks did their thing and released their usual fall flavors: pumpkin spice and salted caramel mocha. Many factors, such as its revolting, distinctly un-vegan ingredients and the fact that the barista/snob in me generally hates the sort of individuals who come in frothing at the mouth over the flavor, abbreviating it to PSL as if pumpkin spice latte crosses some obscure threshold of tolerance is just too much of a mouthful to actually say, rabidly snapping celebratory iPhone pics of their decidedly run-of-the-mill beverages fated to be over-sentimentally hashtagged and posted and reposted to the point of exhaustion, have made me refuse to order the ever-popular pumpkin spice. This is pure pigheaded- and meanspiritedness, because I actually love it.

    My one choice when abroad, therefore, was to suck down as many salted caramel mochas as possible before returning home. This left me with such a spoilt, salted caramel lust that I actually drove to a Starbucks after leaving my job—again, at a coffee shop—to get one of said drinks. It was pathetic, and I was in my uniform still and the Starbucks and I kept exchanging knowing but confused looks. So I staged an intervention. For myself. 

And yes, I know I'm just the salty cousin of all those pumpkin spice hags.

    What took place next is a yet-evolving voyage of discovery. I am going through phases of salted caramel mocha, and this is the first, which I plan to follow up with a healthier version, as well as a more decadent one—on a scale of running shoe to grave, I would say this edition has a foot in each.

     It is still many times healthier than the average coffee-shop version, and retains the Wonka-esque charm of riotous salty chocolately caramel free-love-in-a-cup some, if not most of us, have come to adore. I know the pictures aren’t much, I rimmed the glass with salt. That is high-class. True to form, I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa in this recipe because that is the stuff I live and breathe by, but that said, regular cocoa powder, carob, or cacao would work fine as well. Also, this is basically just as good without the espresso.

Salted Caramel Mocha Frappe: Version I

                   2 shots espresso                      

¼ - ½ cup almond or soy milk

2 tbsp dark cocoa powder

1 ½ tbsp sugar

½ tsp caramel flavor (I used Watkins)

1/8 tsp vanilla

½ - 1 cup ice

Sea salt

If desired, rim a glass with sea salt, margarita-style—simply dampen the rim, dump salt into dish, and turn rim through it. 

Add all of your ingredients, starting with the smaller measurements of milk and ice, to a blender and blend, adding the rest of the milk and ice to taste and as necessary. I also added a dash of salt to the frappe mixture.

    When entirely combined, pour into glass and serve. If you are not rimming your glass with sea salt, I advise sprinkling some on the top.

To be continued . . .