Minty Vanilla Coconut Iced Coffee

It was just after 8 o-clock in the morning, and one of the movers was methodically surveying our kitchen; opening the cabinets and scanning the counters with a stern look on his face. He was quickly discovering that he had drawn the short straw, designated with packing up the kitchen, pantry and my dishware and prop collection.

“Y’all have three coffee machines?”

I glanced at the counter, then back at him, blushing slightly… He hadn’t discovered the french press or the porcelain pour-over Melitta cup in the cupboard above yet.

“I have a thing for coffee,” I replied, flashing him a smile and silently saying goodbye to all five coffee makers for the next few weeks.

He nodded, but looked unimpressed, no doubt distracted by the sheer volume of kitchen equipment and gadgetry he was about to pack, so I didn’t explain that each one was different: there was the standard coffee machine, the little workhorse of an espresso machine, and the hybrid (and brand spanking new addition to the family).

Admittedly, owning five different methods for brewing coffee and espresso could be considered excessive. My Honey is in that camp. I married an otherwise wonderful man who does not share my fondness for coffee. He doesn’t wake up inspired by the aroma of freshly brewed espresso or excited to start his day with a steamy almond milk cappuccino. He doesn’t sigh contently over a sweet vanilla latte or look forward to trying new coffee blends.

But he knows that a great cup of coffee makes me very happy, and indulges my daily coffee ritual. A couple of Christmases ago, he surprised me with a Nespresso Pixie espresso machine and milk frother, a splurge that has been enjoyed just about every day since. I love that I can make a single cup of foamy, flavorful espresso (or cappuccino/latte/etc.) in just a minute or two, any time of day.

So when Nespresso reached out to me about recipe-testing with their new VertuoLine machine, I was thrilled. The VertuoLine launched earlier this year as Nespresso’s first foray into brewing American style large-cup coffee in addition to espresso. Like with their current espresso offerings, there are multiple styles, intensities and flavors of coffee to choose from, all of which brew up quickly with a lovely, thick crema on top.

This time of year, in our stifling southern heat, my coffee obsession almost exclusively revolves around iced coffee. I crave it all day long, and have started making it at home, with homemade syrups and flavorings.

The pre-portioned single-serving Nespresso capsules make it incredibly easy to whip up a coffee whenever the mood strikes, and I’ve been playing around with tons of flavor combinations. My favorite iced coffee creation of the moment? This minty vanilla and coconut iced coffee, an incredibly light and refreshing drink that’s perfect for summer. Creamy coconut milk is infused with rich vanilla, then swirled with homemade mint syrup and freshly-brewed Nespresso coffee for a seriously cool and reviving beverage.

I. Am. Obsessed.

If you want to take the coconut flavor of your iced coffee to another level, you can also make coconut ice cubes. I simply freeze pure coconut water with fresh mint – which are nice to have on hand for water or lemonade too – but you can also make flavored ice cubes from the vanilla coconut cream or fresh coffee (or a combination of the two) as well.

And here’s the most exciting part: Nespresso is giving away a brand new VertuoLine coffee machine (a $299 value) so that one of you lovelies can join in on the homemade iced coffee fun!

UPDATE: A winner has been selected (!), and this giveaway is now closed. To enter for a chance to win, just leave a comment below, mentioning your favorite type or flavor of iced coffee drink.  It’s that easy, and I can’t wait to hear your ideas!

Please note: This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be randomly selected and all comments must be entered by Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 11:59pm (PST) to be considered.

This post is sponsored by Nespresso, a brand that I truly love. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support Fork Knife Swoon!

Minty Vanilla Coconut Iced Coffee + A Nespresso Giveaway!

★★★★★ 4.9 from 14 reviews

• Author: Fork Knife Swoon
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 1 Iced Coffee 1x

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Ingredients

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Mint Simple Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large bunch of fresh mint leaves (about 1 cup)

Vanilla Coconut Cream

• 1 (13.66 oz) can light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup agave syrup (or sub granulated sugar)
• 1 vanilla pod (or sub 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Minty Coconut Ice Cubes

• 15 oz pure coconut water
• 15–20 fresh mint leaves

Minty Vanilla Coconut Iced Coffee

• 1 Nespresso Vanizio or Melozio coffee capsule (about 8 oz)
• 2–3 tbsp mint syrup, to taste
• 1/4 cup vanilla coconut cream
• regular crushed ice or coconut ice cubes
• optional: fresh mint leaves, for garnish

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Instructions

Mint Simple Syrup

1. Combine the water, sugar and mint in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool completely.
2. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, and discard the mint. Transfer the mint syrup to an air-tight bottle or container and refrigerate until ready to use. The syrup can be made in advance, and stored for up to two weeks.

Vanilla Coconut Cream

1. Carefully split open the vanilla pod and use the sharp tip of a knife to scrape out the vanilla seeds inside. Combine the coconut milk, agave syrup (or sugar), scraped vanilla seeds, vanilla pod and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the coconut cream to an air-tight bottle or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. You can either remove the vanilla pod at this point or leave it in the coconut cream to continue infusing vanilla flavor. The coconut cream can be made in advance, and stored for up to 3 days.

Minty Coconut Ice Cubes

1. Fill a 15-cube ice tray with the coconut water. Place one or two leaves in each section of the mold. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Minty Vanilla Coconut Iced Coffee

1. Brew the coffee into a heat-proof glass. Let cool for a few moments. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice (or coconut cubes). Add the mint syrup, then pour the coffee over top. Shake well to chill, then pour into a glass. Stir in the coconut cream, top with a sprig of fresh mint, and enjoy!

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