Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BrewAsYouPlease #CollectiveBias
Ease into your morning with this easy tutorial for French press coffee and check out my delicious homemade Tres Leches Coffee Creamer recipe!
If you have been reading Kitchen Concoctions for any amount of time, then you know I love my morning routine. I love easing into my day by brewing a pot of coffee and taking my cup of coffee (spiked with a little homemade Tres Leches Coffee Creamer recipe) out to my patio to sit and enjoy the stillness of the morning.
I’ll usually have my planner or journal in hand so that I can make my daily to do list or jot down my burning thoughts. Or, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to sit and visit with Eric for a few moments before he rushes out the door to head to work.
I think this easing into the day with my morning cup of coffee comes from watching my Grandmother as a child. You see, my parents were never coffee drinkers but my Grandmother was. Yes, some of my favorite childhood memories are of visiting my Grandmother’s old Victorian home in Louisiana and that constant smell of freshly brewed coffee that filled her house (which even as a kid I LOVED that smell).
She would rise early and immediately head into her small cramped kitchen, pull out that red tin can and get a pot of coffee going, humming a soft melody as she puttered around the kitchen, still in her floral night gown, waiting for her coffee to brew. She would then pour herself a cup, and sit down with her latest crime novel and get completely lost in her book while sipping on her cup of coffee as the morning sun slowly crept into her dining room.
She would then repeat this whole process sometime mid-afternoon, while us grand-kids would run around and play, hiding in all the tiny, hidden nooks and crannies of that massive old home. To this day, every time I smell coffee brewing I am instantly transported back to these moments of my childhood and can’t help but have a grin, spanning from ear to ear, thinking of Mama K.
My Grandmother is still a big coffee drinker, so much so, that if she comes to visit, you better have a big container of her favorite coffee, Folgers® Coffee, on hand for her to have her morning and afternoon cups. No question, Mama K loves her routine and no matter what else is going on or where she’s at, she is going to have coffee and read her book first thing in the morning.
I guess that’s where I get not only my love of coffee, but my love (and need) for routine and easing into my day; from my sweet southern Grandmother. Just like my Grandmother, I stock up on Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend when grocery shopping at Kroger, but unlike Mama K, who always drinks her coffee black, I need a little cream and sweeter with my coffee. Normally I’ll just buy some creamer while grocery shopping, but about once or twice a month I like to make my own.
This Tres Leches Coffee Creamer recipe is my go to homemade coffee creamer as it uses just five ingredients, most of which I always have on hand. It’s not overly sweet, which adds a nice little creaminess and sweetness to my cup of coffee, while allowing the smooth, yet bold taste of the Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend to still shine through.
While during the week we usually brew our daily pot of coffee using a traditional coffee maker, on the weekends, when we really can ease into our day, like make brunch at home, read the paper, and catch up with each other after the long week, I like to pull out the French press and make our coffee in that. Not only does the French press look cute on our dining room table as we sit and enjoy brunch, I think the coffee is stronger when brewed this way, perfect for coffee fans of every generation!
In case you would like to take my Grandmother’s advice (FYI, you should ALWAYS listen to a Grandmother’s wisdom) to embrace each new day with a cup of coffee and a good read (or, in my case, some journaling or to do list making), I’m sharing not only my Tres Leches Coffee Creamer recipe below, but a quick little how to on how to make French press coffee for weekend brunchin!
Helpful Tips and Information:
How to store coffee: Coffee grounds should be stored with the lid securely on in a cool, dry place (ie: the pantry or kitchen cabinet). Once opened, the container of coffee should be used within 2-3 weeks (stored at room temperature) for ultimate freshness; or can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month.
How to make French press coffee:
Fill French press with ½ cup Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend coffee grounds.
Pour 4 cups hot, but not boiling, water into your French press, leaving about 1-2 inches of space at the top.
Stir water and coffee grounds with a wooden spoon.
Place French press plunger in the top of the French press, but don’t press down.
Let coffee brew for 4-5 minutes and then press plunger down to press all the coffee grounds to the bottom of the French press.
Pour the brewed coffee into coffee cups and serve with a splash or two of Tres Leches Coffee Creamer, if desired.
Serving suggestion: This homemade creamer is can be used for hot or iced coffee. For iced coffee, pour leftover coffee or expiring creamer into ice cube trays and freeze. Use coffee or creamer ice cubes when making iced coffee so that your iced coffee doesn’t get watered down.
- 1 cup half and half or milk of choice
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Combine all three milks, vanilla and cinnamon in a large glass jar. Whisk together or place lid on jar, secure tightly and shake vigorously to combine.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons, or desired amount, of coffee creamer to hot or iced coffee and stir to combine.
- Store homemade creamer in jar in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, or until the expiration date of the milk or half and half.
Tip: I place a piece of painter’s tape on the lid to the glass jar and write the expiration date of the milk/half and half on that so that I know what date I need to use the creamer by.
Since The Best Part of Wakin’ Up™ really is Folgers® in your cup; how do you like your coffee? Please share in the comments below! Stock up on Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend at your local Kroger and for more coffee recipes and brewing tips (including a French press how to video), click here.
I have been looking for ‘something’ to preserve my love of coffee in the morning.
With your tees leches recipe, you have given me a gift I will treasure.
A pinch of salt will make it last longer….
Sounds delicious, and I am going to the kitchen to make some right now. Thank you for sharing your special memories and recipe.. I also am a exstream coffee drinker hot and cold!!