#1 Blog Post on JoyInOurJourney: Mock Starbucks Frappuccino recipe!

Guess what?

     Week after week, month after month, the most visited feature on Joy In Our Journey is my recipe for:

Mock Starbucks Frappuccinos!!!

     When I first shared this recipe on January 7, 2011, it was the dead of winter.  Well, winters here are pretty mild, and this last winter was exceptionally mild, so it was probably still 50 degrees outside. 

---

     But when do most people want to buy a frappuccino?  Okay, well, some of you want to buy one every afternoon, around 2 p.m., when you're having a hard time keeping your eyelids open.

     Really, though, a lot of us like these kinds of drinks in the summer, when it's HOT outside!

     I only buy a frappuccino a few times each year, whether at Starbucks or Dutch Bros. or another similar place.  They can get expensive quickly, and I don't need those calories on a regular basis.  We've been buying raw milk this summer, which means I have cream on hand most of the time, so I think we'll try to start making a batch of this a couple of times each month.

     Below is the recipe I've used in the past to make homemade frappuccinos, and these have been delicious.  Instead of using the blender this next time, though, I'm going to use our electric ice cream freezer.  We've got the kind that is electric but doesn't require the use of ice and salt.  Whew!  (Cuisinart 1.5 quart electric ice cream maker - $26).

     Brittany wanted to make slushies the other day, so we followed the directions on our little ice cream maker (uh, plug in the ice cream maker and then pour in the beverage - I think we can handle those kinds of directions!), and 15 minutes later, we had slushies!  The ice crystals were very soft and nice, not hard and chunky.  The texture (do drinks even have texture???) was just like a 7-11 Slurpee.  Wow.  Sure beats the harder, chunkier texture of crushed ice in my blender, although my current blender does a pretty decent job crushing ice.

     I think you will love this money-saving recipe!  You will find that by making this particular liquid "mix", you will spend the equivalent of ONE Starbucks frozen beverage in ingredients, but your "mix" will be able to make at least ten to twelve 8-10 oz. glasses of mocha frappuccinos.  That is a big money saver for those families and individuals who are trying to be more frugal with the frills of life.  If you're having a group of friends over and want to spoil them, this would be an inexpensive way to do it!

     Face it, mocha frappuccinos are a "frill."  Not a necessity, although some people think so.    :)

     Basically, there are two methods of making the mix.  Both versions seem to work equally well and will taste great.  Just use the version which you prefer.  You'll be storing the liquid "mix" in a sealed container, or pitcher, or zip-type bag in the refrigerator, and whenever you would like a mocha frappucinno, you can pour 8-10 oz. of the liquid mix into your blender (or electric ice cream maker) with an equivalent amount of ice, and you will have a freshly made frappuccino!


Mock Starbucks Frappuccino Recipe

• 3 cups espresso coffee (or just strong coffee - the way my hubby drinks it!)
• 3/4 cup sugar or evap. cane juice sugar or your own choice of sweetener
  
• 4 cups milk (I used half cream, half milk, because then it doesn't separate after being blended - hint, hint!)
• 3/4 cup chocolate syrup
• *whipped cream for topping (if desired)
• *chocolate for topping (if desired)
• ice

     Make strong coffee (espresso style), double or triple strength.  Chill in refrigerator overnight or until cold.  If your blender will handle the full recipe, add first 4 ingredients to blender and blend thoroughly. 

     My KitchenAid blender will handle 56 oz. of liquid, so this seems to work out well.  Otherwise, blend the ingredients in a large bowl and then pour half batches into the blender to mix well.  Or, simply make one half batch and combine it all in your blender.

    This is your basic mix, and it should make at least ten 10-oz. mocha frappes.  Keep mix stored in the refrigerator, but only as long as you would safely store milk or cream.  When you are ready for a mocha frappe, combine 1 cup (8 oz.) mocha frappe mix (per person/serving) with 1 cup or so of ice (per person/serving), and blend well in blender.  Pour into glasses.  Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.  Serve.

Original recipe:  The original recipe said to blend the hot, fresh coffee and the sugar in your blender until the sugar has dissolved.  Add milk/cream and chocolate syrup and continue mixing, about one minute. Pour mix into a heatproof container to chill in refrigerator.  After chilling, store it in a sealable container in the fridge, but only as many days as you would normally store milk or cream.  To make the beverage, combine equal parts of mix and ice in a blender, and blend on high until smooth.  Pour into glasses; top each glass with whipped cream and drizzled chocolate syrup, if desired.  Serve.

Other options:  3 Tbsp. of cocoa powder dissolved into 1 Tbsp. of warm or hot water should be the equivalent of 1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup, as long as you add a bit of sweetener, too.  So, for the large batch of mocha frappe, you would combine 2-1/4 cups cocoa with 3/4 cup warm water; frankly, even though this would be lower fat, I think it would be more expensive.  That's a lot of cocoa powder!

     Let me know in the comments section if you try the recipe - and what you think about it! 

     Also, if you have a question about the recipe, just let me know.  I'll do my best to answer you.

---