Try this recipe: Pandan Latte

To get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit, we’re sharing our favorite green-inspired drinks. First, the irresistibly delicious Pandan Latte!  

The Pandan Latte is something I’ve heard of but never tried until recently. My co-worker was testing out a recipe that was so tasty and bright green! You’re probably asking yourself, “What is pandan?” Pandan is a tropical plant known as a “screw pine” and grows in Southeast Asia. The leaves of this plant are used for their sweet aroma and taste. You can find pandan leaves fresh, frozen, or as an extract. Pandan is described as tasting sweet like vanilla. Based on my tests, I would describe the flavor as a rice sweetness, almost like a rice pudding. It has a delicate sweetness balanced with floral notes that keep it from feeling too heavy and sweet. 

Ingredients:

Pandan Latte

  • 25 g Pandan Syrup
  • DBL shot espresso
  • 10 oz Milk or Non-Dairy Option

Pandan Syrup Recipe

  • 1 bunch of pandan leaves
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

Chopped Pandan Leaves Pandan Leaf Pulp Pandan Juice and Sugar Pandan Syrup

Make the Pandan Syrup

  1. First, we will make a pandan mixture to strain the juice from the pulp and turn it into syrup. We will need to chop the pandan leaves up into 1” sections to make the syrup. Cutting the leaves into smaller sections will help keep your blender from overworking. 
  2. Next, grab your blender, add 1 cup water, add all the pandan leaves, and pulse until the mixture resembles pulp. Your mixture should be a green color and smell sweet. 
  3. Then, strain out the lovely green liquid from the fibrous pulp. We are going to use this liquid to make a syrup.
  4. We will make the syrup on the stovetop using our pandan liquid. Add your green liquid and 1 cup of sugar in a small pot on medium-low heat. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Then, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. 
  5. Once the liquid is cooled, you can transfer it into a squeeze bottle or glass bottle for storage.

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Put it all together and make a Pandan Latte:

  1. Add 25g of the pandan syrup to a 12oz mug of your choice add a double shot of espresso stir to incorporate the syrup. 
  2. Finally, pour in your steamed milk of choice and enjoy!