It is important to give ourselves a treat now and then. But simply going out on occasion isn’t always enough. Sometimes, we want to give ourselves a treat at home.
So today, we’re going to be adding a new recipe to your repertoire: French vanilla coffee creamer. This type of creamer goes with almost all types of beverages and is definitely a crowd-pleaser—no matter what kind of coffee drinker you are, you will love this creamer.
And besides, it tastes better when you do it yourself. Of course, hard work and something being of your own doing definitely plays a part in how something feels but, beyond that, when you make something like this yourself, you can cater to your own tastes. After all, you’re the one who really knows what you like. So making things like these by yourself is the real key to enjoying the best possible coffee.
What is French Vanilla?
French vanilla isn’t simply vanilla. The flavor is different, much more sophisticated than that of regular vanilla. You’ll know this after trying the classic French vanilla-flavored ice cream—there’s something going on here more than just good ol’ vanilla.
Well—the French in French vanilla doesn’t stand from where it comes from. After all, there is no vanilla grown in France. It mostly grows in warm climates like Mexico and Madagascar. No; the French comes from the imagination of French cooks, which were some of the firsts to start using vanilla.
Vanilla is actually a fairly recent discovery. It was discovered in Central America in the 16th century and was quickly adopted as a spice for its sweet fragrance.
French vanilla refers to a very famous dish of times gone by, which originated in France: vanilla custard. This was created by mixing egg yolk, cream, and sugar using vanilla as the main ingredient.
And this is precisely the flavor that French vanilla refers to. The egg yolk in particular, in combination with vanilla, makes for a deep flavor that lingers in your senses and is very hard to resist.
French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe
This recipe is fairly easy and takes little time to make. All in all, this shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to make. And it yields for almost ten servings, so it’s a pretty good deal in terms of how little work it is and how big the payoff is.
What you’ll need:
- 1 egg yolk from a small egg
- 150 ml whole milk
- 150 ml condensed milk
- Vanilla extract to taste
How to make it:
- In a small pot, combine milk, condensed milk, and egg yolk.
- Place on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
- Let simmer and stir frequently.
- After about ten minutes, add vanilla extract and taste.
- When it has enough vanilla taste for you, stop cooking.
- Then let cool and store in a sealed glass container.
- Enjoy!
Now this creamer can really be used for anything. It’s thick, it’s very creamy, and it’s sweet without the need for using sugar. So it’s an all-in-one addition to your coffee. You can use it on black coffee, and it is particularly good with espresso, but since it’s already quite thick you can still use it on French press coffee, drip coffee, and so on.
As for recipes, this creamer has the perfect flavor combination for you to try in combination with Vietnamese egg coffee. This type of coffee is an incredibly exotic invention that uses the creaminess and flavor of egg yolk to make a great beverage, which is sort of the whole point of French vanilla. These two were meant to be together.
Note that the French vanilla creamer is also very good for alcoholic drinks. Its eggy taste goes amazing with all sorts of drinks, maybe even more so when talking about sweeter drinks. Coffee liquor and French vanilla creamer pair extremely well.
FAQ
Do I Need Vanilla Pods to Make French Vanilla?
No; simple vanilla extract or essence is more than enough. But of course, if you can find vanilla pods and are willing to pony up, then vanilla pods are definitely superior both in flavor and aroma to mere extract or essence. They’re not that hard to figure out and they really do taste much better. There’s that one thing, though: they’re quite expensive.
Can I Use Vegetable Milk?
Yes, you definitely can. The one problem that one could see is that the taste wouldn’t be the one we know as French vanilla because that taste depends a lot on that characteristic dairy flavor. There are, though, a lot of milk out there that have quite a neutral flavor, and that would be fine to use.
So, it seems like it’s a good idea to stick to animal milk when it comes to French vanilla. You can also try for vegetable options that try to mimic the taste and consistency of animal milk, such as pea-based milk.
How Long Does this French Vanilla Coffee Creamer last in the Fridge?
Because of the nature of the condensed milk, it should last more than a week but no more than two weeks. However, it is very important that you keep it sealed at all times and in the fridge. Take it out only when you need it, use it, seal it, and put it back in the fridge immediately. If you do this, then it can definitely last longer than a week.
Can I Sweeten It?
Yes, you can. However, this recipe uses condensed milk, which is already sweet enough. If you feel like adding more sugar, you can do it, and since we’re on the topic, we recommend using caster sugar as it is perfect for this recipe and will easily dissolve in the creamer while thickening it at the same time.
You can also use light condensed milk, which has less sugar in it, and then add your own sweetener if you want for a less sugary creamer.