The secret to cafe-quality DIY drinks is—believe it or not—instant coffee

One of the things that working at home has taught us is that our coffee cravings can put a dent in our savings. But in times when we crave the next-level comfort of our favorite specialty coffee concoctions, what’s a coffee lover—like yours truly—to do?

Enter premium instant coffee.

     For someone who isn’t ready to give up their caffeine routine, Nescafé Gold hits the right spots and ticks all the boxes of my coffee cravings without breaking the bank. Thanks to its smooth, distinctive flavor and rich aroma derived from mountain-grown Arabica and Robusta beans that were—get this—ground 10 times finer to give us this exquisite taste, Nescafé Gold is proof that, yes, even instant coffee can delight us like those from our go-to local coffee shops. Best of all? We can experiment with cafe-inspired concoctions from the comfort of our own home, with recipes that have been tried and tested by coffee stans themselves. We’ll get to that in a bit.

     While things are slowly opening up, sometimes mustering the will to go out is still hard for various reasons. And when that option to get our caffeine fix down the street is off the table, we can rely on our own pantry—and inner coffee connoisseur—to whip up a brew that deserves a Roaster of the Year award. Now before you dismiss the humble instant coffee, know that it has been in the limelight since last year—remember Dalgona?—for good reasons. Most instant coffees today now offer superb quality for a fraction of the price of top beans. Sometimes, you can’t even tell the difference. That explains why more and more people are opening up to the idea of using them as a base for their homemade coffee recipes—that and boredom and the internet

But first, check your instant coffee

     Now, not all instant coffees are made equal. You want to find something that has a good base—that is, the quality of the beans and how deeply it’s roasted. Remember, you’ll need a good foundation for your cafe-quality coffee. This is why Nescafé Gold, which is crafted from golden-roasted Arabica and Robusta beans, is a seamless addition to my coffee routine. It delivers a rich aroma, a smooth taste, and a versatility that is perfect with all 31 coffee recipes on their Your Home Cafe that will probably turn anyone into a coffee connoisseur. Of the 31 recipes on the site, we tried two of our favorites that we’d recommend you to give it a go, too.

Mocha Frappe

  A good mocha-coffee drink has a balanced combination of sweet milk and rich, chocolaty flavor without losing that crisp coffee notes. This one stirred me right up to my senses. It's delicious and appropriate any time of the day. Whether you’re relaxing with a book in hand or busy beating work deadlines or even just in the mood to do nothing, this mocha frappe is worth the effort. This recipe follows precise measurements but you can always tweak it to achieve your desired flavor.

1.  Heat 1/2 cup (120ml) of fresh milk in a microwave.
2.  Meanwhile, create chocolate sauce by mixing 1 part white sugar and 1 part cocoa powder to ___ cup (__ ml) water. Slowly stir until it gets syrupy.
3.  To the warm milk, stir in 1 tsp Nescafé Gold, 1 1/2 tbsp of sugar syrup, and  1 ½ tbsp to warm milk. 
4.  Swirl in 1 tbsp or so of chocolate syrup, mix well, and enjoy. You can also add ice cubes to serve cold.

White Chocolate Mocha

White chocolate is the ideal base for Nescafé Gold’s deep and decadent tasting notes. Experience would have it that anything with more than two words in the name of a drink would require a lot of effort to make, but that’s not actually the case for this recipe. 
It requires kitchen tools though but if you’re craving an appetizing, barista-worthy creation, this white chocolate mocha is worth propping your blender out for. Here’s how to make it:

1. Heat the all-purpose cream in a heavy pan. Simmer and remove from heat before it boils. 
2. Add unsalted butter and white chocolate chips to the cream until melted. Set aside and chill in the refrigerator. 
3. Using a blender, pulse ½ cup fresh milk together with 1 tsp Nescafé Gold, 2 tbsp white chocolate sauce, and 4 tsp of sugar syrup. 
4. Serve over ice or chill. Enjoy!

Whether you are craving a classic latte or would want to try your hand at flat whites, Nescafé Gold will shake up your coffee routine. Check out the array of easy-to-create recipes you can find at Nescafé's Your Home Café, today.