Coffee is a somewhat popular beverage enjoyed across the globe by a variety. For taste, generally, coffee enthusiasts are swayed more into espresso – blended with steamed or frothed milk and types of sweeteners. With the advent of cold foam, sweet cream, and iced coffees, one would say the beverage has reached a whole new dynamism in terms of how people enjoy it.
However, because they appear so similar, you may question whether cold foam and sweet cream are alike. But you’d be wrong, and in this guide, I’ll point out the difference between both.
Starbucks Cold foam vs Sweet cream
Cold foam is intended to hover on the drink’s surface at the top. When you take a sip of your delicious cold brew, you get a little of that delightful cool foam in there. It’s not meant to dissolve in the beverage. Sweet cream, on the other hand, is designed to mix. Add it to a cup of cold brew, and it will flow down and disperse evenly.
Particularly at Starbucks, Vanilla, heavy cream and milk are combined to make sweet cream, Wheras nonfat milk is frothed using a unique blender component to make cold foam (unflavored).
Is the sweet cream really sweet?
Sweet cream is a low-fat dairy product that is commonly used in coffee. It contains no added sugars and is referred to as “sweet” to distinguish it from the cream used to produce butter and other goods. It goes by several names, such as half-and-half or table cream, but it should include 10-20% milkfat.
So how do you make the sweet cream and cold foam like Starbucks at home?
Let’s begin with the sweet cream,
Ingredients
Vanilla Syrup Ingredients:
- Vanilla Extract: Two Tablespoons
- Water
- Sugar
Sweet Cream Ingredients:
- whipping cream
- milk 2% milk
- Two Tablespoons vanilla syrup (you can experiment with it according to your tastes)
Steps:
- Add half cup heavy cream, and a third cup of 2 percent milk, and two tablespoons vanilla syrup to make the sweet cream in a larger cup. You can add additional syrup if you prefer it sweeter.
- Combine the ingredients for the sweet cream. If you like a creamier or more delicate texture, combine it in a blender (on pulse) or with a frother*. Take care not to overmix.
- The ice cream is done! Fill 3/4 of the glass with ice, cold brew, and vanilla syrup to make the vanilla sweet cream cold brew.
- Fill the remaining 1/4 cup with sweet cream.
Storage Tips: The sweet cream can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days. Before each usage, shake or whisk to recombine.
And the cold foam.
Ingredients
- milk with no fat (skim)
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- a milk frother or a French press
Let’s begin with the most straightforward technique.
Making your cold foam is as simple as pushing a button if you have a milk frothing machine at home. An example of the electric milk frother I’m referring to is the Nespresso Aeroccino.
It’s as simple as taking the following steps:
- Fill the frothing machine halfway with cold milk.
- Add whatever sweets, syrups, or spices you choose (optional)
- Select the cold foam option.
- Start the machine.
That’s all, and It’s basically that simple.
Note: Starbucks’ cold foam recipe calls for 2% milk. The barista puts cold milk into a frother, similar to a blender but does not have blades. The barista will add coffee syrups and other additives for flavored varieties before frothing everything up.
How Many Calories Are in a Cup of Starbucks Sweet Cream?
A grande vanilla sweet cream cold brew has 70 calories and 4 grams of sugar. Nevertheless, you take other sweet products during the day, so be sure you don’t go over your threshold.
The recommended daily amount of added sugar for most women is 24 grams, while it is 36 grams for most males. In a grande size (16 oz) cold brew, the Starbucks cold foam includes 35 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, all sugar grams, 0 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein.
Starbucks’ cold foam is made with skim milk and flavored with vanilla syrup. (source) Since the vanilla syrup contains sugar, there is sugar in the cool foam. As a result, the foam is not keto-friendly.
Keto Cold Foam Recipe
This cold foam recipe is also sugar-free, making it ideal for those who want to consume less to no sugar.
You have to add some fat to aid the foam frother to make it keto and sugar-free. Unsweetened milk accessible for keto does not provide enough protein to produce the foam that nonfat dairy produces. As a result, I employ heavy liquid cream to foam the liquid.
Making Sugar-Free Cold Foam
Ingredients
- One tbsp heavy whipping cream
- Three tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- stevia liquid, or monk fruit drops
Steps
- Blend using a portable milk frother
- froth the ingredients together.
- Blend until appropriate thickness is reached.
Is Starbucks Sweet Cream Keto-Friendly?
Despite being heavy in fat and low in carbs, sweet cream is not keto-friendly. This is due to the high sugar content of the Vanilla syrup. Ask your barista if they have sugar-free vanilla cold foam as an immediate replacement. Or else, ask for heavy cream when ordering a keto-friendly latte.
Is it possible to get a non-dairy cold foam version?
Starbucks does not technically sell non-dairy sweet cream. You may replace it with non-dairy cold foam if you prefer. However, if you’re making sweet cream at home, you can use any organic milk and cream. This will affect the flavor and texture, and you may not like the final product.
How does cold foam taste?
The way you drink your coffee will determine whether or not you enjoy cold foam. Since it’s made with nonfat milk, the cold foam may be less tasty or creamy than what some people are used to having on their coffee.
Although if nonfat milk tastes bland im the mouth, a sweetened cold foam topping from Starbucks or elsewhere may be a better alternative. If you want your coffee very creamy, this may not be the beverage for you: Cold foam seems to float to the top of the cup and does not mix well with the coffee.
Customers who prefer non-dairy milk, such as soy milk, are also out of luck.
The best milk for making cold foam
You’d assume that full-fat milk would result in the creamiest, richest cold foam. Whole milk or heavy cream are even used in specific handmade recipes. However, guess what? Skim milk produces the thickest, most stable cold foam. This is because it contains a higher protein than whole milk or 2%. On the other hand, whole milk provides the tastiest steamed milk for a latte!
This because? Lipids keep bubbling smaller, resulting in the most excellent microfoam texture for latte art. Therefore, if you find a cold foam recipe for heavy cream or whole milk, turn around! Your best bet is skim milk.
How to make a vegan sweet cream
Vegan cream is a wonderful dairy-free sweet cream alternative that can be used in coffee, gratins, soups, and anyplace sweet creams are asked for!
Ingredients
- 12 oz tofu, firm or extra-firm
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 14 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 18 teaspoon sea salt
- 18 teaspoon pure almond extract
- As required soymilk
Steps
- In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine firm tofu, pure maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, sea salt, and almond extract.
- Blend the sweet cream components until they are smooth and creamy.
- If the mixture is too thick, add 1 tsp of soy milk at a time and combine for 5 seconds. Continue until your soy whip cream is the appropriate consistency.
- Refrigerate the vegan whipped cream in a tightly covered jar.
- Once completely cold, serve and enjoy your vegan whipped cream; no need for coconut!
Conclusion
Congrats, now you know how to make cold foam at home!
Your favorite iced coffee drinks with cold foam are no longer something you can only enjoy at Starbucks and other coffee shops. You can make them for yourself anytime you like.
How awesome is that?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors. Adding syrups and spices to your cold foam can take the taste to the next level, so play around and get creative.
Enjoy!
