A few times a year, we host Cafe Day at our Roastery. It’s an opportunity for our Roastery Team to down tools, come together and share some delicious coffee. We transform our Training bar into a space not too dissimilar to one of our thriving cafe partners. Each Cafe Day, we set out to create some coffee-based beverages that are designed to push the boundaries and help our Team experience our coffee in a slightly different light.
This year, I wanted to think outside the box and bring a classic bartending technique into the coffee world. My inspiration? The historic milk punch. Instead of alcohol, I used our delicious Red Fruits coffee. The same one we feature in our Choc Berry Milk Shake Blend. The result is the new Coffee Strawberry Cheesecake Milk Punch: a drink that’s rich, smooth and surprisingly clear.
What is Milk Punch?
Milk punch isn't a new invention. This clever technique of clarifying a liquid with milk dates back to the late 1600s in England. The method was prized in an era before refrigeration because it removed impurities, resulting in a clear, shelf-stable drink that could be bottled and stored for extended periods.
The process is simple: an acid is mixed with a liquid, which is then added to milk. This intentionally curdles the milk, causing the milk proteins to bind to and trap unwanted impurities and harsh flavours. The curds are then strained out, leaving behind a clarified, smooth and mellowed liquid with a beautiful texture.
Read: What’s the perfect grind size for different brewing methods?
About the coffee
This coffee was grown by Jairo Arcila at the farm Santa Monica. Coffee was exposed to a dry anaerobic fermentation period of 72 hours with the pulp on. During this fermentation stage, ripe red fruits and wine yeast were added. The cherries were then pulped and placed to dry on raised beds with ripe red fruits placed amongst the coffee until the ideal moisture content was achieved. This microlot is 100% Castillo, a variety developed by Federación Nacional de Cafeteros. It is more productive than Caturra and resistant to coffee leaf rust.
Jairo Arcila
Process: Honey + Wine Yeast
Cupping notes: red candy, molasses, brown spices, blackberries
Score: 90
Location / Farm: Armenia, Quindio / Santa Monica
Recipe
Here's our recipe you can recreate at home.
Batch brew recipe:
Dose: 68g
Water: 1000ml
Brewing Temperature: 94°C
Coffee Strawberry Cheesecake Milk Punch:
700ml Red Fruits batch brew
70g unsweetened strawberry puree
70g cream cheese
30g condensed milk
50g maple syrup
10g vanilla extract
1 teaspoon citric acid
400ml full cream milk
Method:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the milk. Whisk vigorously until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, slowly pour the mixture into the milk while stirring. This will cause the milk to curdle.
3. Let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes so the curds fully separate from the liquid.
4. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth. The first pass may be cloudy, so pour it back through a second and/or third time for a perfectly clear result.
From byproduct to garnish: The zero waste foam
One of our favourite parts of this process is what we do with the leftover curds. Instead of tossing them, we turned them into a creamy, flavourful foam to top the drink. It's a creative zero-waste technique that adds another layer of flavour and texture.
To make the foam, we blend the curds with coconut water, simple syrup and a couple of stabilising agents, then charge it in an ISI whipper. This gives us a rich, airy foam that perfectly complements the clear punch below. It enhances the drink's original profile while adding an elegant finish.
Feeling inspired to craft your own creations? Our Coffee Concentrates may be the perfect place to start.
