PUMPKIN CHAI LATTE RECIPE

Nothing tastes quite as good in autumn as the sweet, toasty pumpkin. The cool crisp air also signals the transition from the cool drinks of summer to the piping hot beverages of fall, and to me nothing tastes more like fall than a delicious chai latte. So, I of course decided to combine the two in this rich and decadent concoction, complete with a homemade clove caramel and maple whipped cream topping. Yes, I went there. And once you go there, there’s no coming back. So join me in this autumn wonderland, where creamy pumpkin befriends buttery caramel, and all feels right with the world.

Pumpkin Chai Latte with Maple Whipped Cream & Clove Caramel
By Eva Kosmas Flores of Adventures in Cooking
Serves 4

Clove Caramel

• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch of salt

Maple Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons maple sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Pumpkin Chai Latte

• 1 and 1/3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons chai tea powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

First, prepare the caramel. In a small stainless steel saucepan, mix together the water and the granulated sugar over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Bring the heat down to medium and continue boiling until the mixture turns a light caramel color, stirring once every two minutes or so. It can take up to 15 minutes for the clear syrup to turn light caramel-colored, but the exact speed will depend upon the heat intensity of your stovetop.

Once the syrup turns that light amber hue, quickly remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in the heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar until incorporated. Be careful when adding the ingredients, however, as the mixture will spit and hiss a bit. If the sugar begins to clump up when you’re stirring do not worry, just stir as best as you can for about 30 seconds and then place the pot on the stovetop over medium heat until the mixture reaches a boil. Once it is boiling again, stir it until the sugar chunk dissolves and the mixture is smooth.

When the caramel smoothes out, allow the mixture to simmer for 3-5 minutes more so that it thickens slightly. Remove from the stovetop and stir in the vanilla extract, cloves, and salt. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. Use immediately, or keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, the caramel will solidify slightly, simply heat it up a bit to get it back to drizzling consistency.

While the caramel is cooling, prepare the whipped cream. Beat the cream and maple sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at medium high speed until the cream holds a very soft peak. Gently whisk in the sea salt until incorporated. Cover and set aside.

To prepare the pumpkin latte, heat the milk in a small pot over medium low heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, chai powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into the milk. Divide into 4 cups and top with the maple whipped cream and nutmeg caramel. Serve immediately.

(recipe photos by Eva Kosmas Flores of Adventures in Cooking for designlovefest– want more food posts? go here!)