Homemade pumpkin spice latte: A flavorful autumn treat

Every year, the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at a well-known coffee chain warms the hearts of all autumn enthusiasts. People often line up for this coffee, but I have my own trick. I make a delicious spicy pumpkin syrup at home that's even tastier than the original.

Sometimes, jokes circulate online, suggesting that if you want to become a millionaire, stop buying coffee in the city. However, once you prepare this syrup for the first time, you'll give up your cup from Starbucks. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte has even more flavour and aroma than its coffeehouse counterpart. Additionally, the syrup's ingredients are known to us, and the syrup itself is simple to prepare and way better.

Clever marketing or the desire to try something different from regular coffee—regardless of what makes the popular drink a success, every year, autumn lovers count down to its appearance in coffee shops. However, it has a significant downside, as it can be so sweet that it might not be to everyone's liking.

It's entirely different with homemade syrup. You can distinctly taste the spicy notes; the pumpkin is present, not just in the name. There's warming ginger, ground cloves, and cinnamon, the must-have for autumn. Add easy-to-prepare homemade pumpkin purée, and you can enjoy the flavour of the most autumnal drink in the world.

Ingredients:                                      

• Half a Hokkaido pumpkin (about 250 grams)
• 400 millilitres of water
• 200 grams of white sugar
• 100 grams of brown sugar (e.g., muscovado or demerara)
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

Instructions:                      

1. Cut the pumpkin into four parts and remove the seeds. Then, cut each part into larger pieces and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
2. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 30-35 minutes or until tender (check with a fork).
3. Transfer the flesh from the baked pumpkin to a blender and mix into a smooth purée.
4. Place all the ingredients, including the prepared purée, in a saucepan.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently. The cooking time depends on the desired consistency: 5-10 minutes for thinner syrup and 20 minutes for thicker syrup.
6. Set the finished syrup aside to cool, then transfer it to a clean bottle.

Combine the finished syrup with coffee. If you do not froth the milk, cook it for a shorter time. Thicker syrup, however, works well for decorating the edges of the glass or drizzling on top of frothed milk. I prepare both versions, pouring some thinner syrup during boiling, and then, after reduction, a thicker syrup into a separate bottle. This way, I can use some to flavour the coffee and some for decoration.