Pumpkin Spice Latte

Now that October is standing on our front door, I thought the time was right to share my pumpkin spice latte recipe with you guys. As some of you might know, or didn't know yet, that crap that Starbucks is pouring down your throat, isn't vegan. Their syrup contains milk. Although, it's not all bad what Starbucks does. A few months ago, I tried the vegan falafel in Berlin and it was quite okay. Plus, in Berlin, the map with all the ingredients stands on the counter, unlike here in Belgium. So, Starbucks Belgium, get your game on.





Pumpkin Spice latte is the perfect autumn drink. Warm, spicy and yet still sweet enough to fill you with that heartwarming feeling of autumn. Served in the morning to get you ready for your day or with a piece of pumpkin pie after a long walk in the forest. Or when it's getting dark outside and rain is pouring against your window. Or,... Have I told you that autumn is my favourite season?
I will admit, I did invest in a decent coffee machine, so I have the luxury of making my own lattes at home. If you don't, you can always froth your milk in a saucepan and whisk it thoroughly. But I do recommend investing in your own machine. It is a cost but it's totally worth the money. But I'm a coffee addict, so maybe I'm a bit prejudged.
With or without machine, I hope you will be drinking this latte a lot this fall!





This recipe has a few preparations fases to go through. But once you've done them, making your latte will only take you a few minutes. First thing you have to do, is make pumpkin puree.

Step 1: Pumpkin puree
Ingredients:
1 large pumpkin

Method:
Preheat your oven at 200°. Slice the pumpkin in quarters and remove the seeds. You can keep the seeds and roast them for later use, if you like. Place the quarters on baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes or until your pumpkin is fork-tender. Peel of the skin and cut the rest of the pumpkin in large chunks. If you have a food processor, throw in your chunks and blend till it form a nice and soft puree. A handmixer would do the same job for you, but less creamier. If you don't seem to get the texture right, just add a little bit of water. You can freeze the puree for later use. Stays good in your fridge for a few days.



Step 2: Pumpkin Pie Spices
Ingredients:
⅓ cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg or mace
1-½ teaspoons ground cloves
1-½ teaspoons ground allspice

Method:
Put all the spice together and store them in a jar for later use. This one was a rather easy step, now was it? Did you know that if you add them to a regular cookie recipe, you get these nice fall cookies?



Step 3: Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups of water
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices

Method:
In a saucepan, simmer all your ingredients for about 10 minutes. Make sure you don't overcook this.
Strain twice into a jar. You can keep this for about a month in your refrigerator. Which means until pumpkin season has ended.



Step 4: Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients: 1 shot of espresso
1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin spice syrup
Desired amount of soy or almond milk. I always use Alpro soy light to make lattes.
Pumpkin Pie Spices for decoration

Method
In a large glass or coffee mug, pour the pumpkin spice syrup in first. Make your espresso and froth your milk (or just heat it if you don't want to trouble of frothing). Add your espresso to the syrup. Stir. Next, pour your milk onto your coffee. You can use some of your spice to add a little extra decoration or top it with whipped cream and some caramel (I'm a terrible sweet tooth).



I really hope you enjoyed this recipe and if you would ever make it, please let me know. Just leave a comment below or use the #deathstaronamission on your social media.