Victory. Across-the-board success. I can't tell the difference at all between my recipe and the official Peet's mix (which they no longer sell).
Recipe first, explanation below:
(makes one Freddo)
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cocoa
1/8 tsp xanthan gum (Jimbo's sells this)
1/2 tsp vanilla paste (I get mine from Trader Joe's: you want the one with "gum tragancanth" in it)
1 shot espresso
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C ice
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Mix sugar, cocoa, and xanthum gum until blended. Put in a blender with the vanilla, espresso, and milk and whirl until emusified. Add the ice and blend to desired consistency.
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So: I've long been searching for the Peet's magic mix. The Peet's Freddo, for those who have not tried the drink, is a thousand times better than a Starbuck's Frappucino. For one thing, it uses real coffee and real milk; Starbucks' blend is made using only powders. But the difference goes further than that. The Peets' Freddo is creamy and fluffy, almost like a milkshake, while the Starbucks Frappucino is more like an icee.
I finally discovered the secret when, completely by chance, I came across a Peets up in Anaheim that was actually selling the freddo mix. I've never seen the stuff for sale before and never saw it again anywhere--this was just a lucky break. I took the mix home and tried it; it was identical to what they'll mix up for you in the coffee shop. All was wunderbar until I began to run out of the mix and discovered that Peets was no longer selling it--not even on their webpage.
So I decided to try to make my own, copying the ingredients list on the back. The ingredients list is as follows:
sugar
maltodextrin
vanilla powder
cocoa powder
xanthan gum
guar gum
salt
silicon dioxide (as an anticaking agent)
Xanthan gum is readily available; guar gum isn't. Together, the two interact to form that nice spongey effect I was seeking in the Peet's Freddo. But a little Google research showed that guar gum isn't the only option out there. Xanthan gum apparently has a "synergistic effect" when mixed with several other thickening agents as well, such as "gum tragancanth," the thickening agent used in Trader Joe's vanilla paste.
So voila! The recipe works. And I suspect it would also work used with Splenda instead of sugar, which would be a nice option (Peet's doesn't make a sugar-free Freddo--not even in the coffee shops).
I'll try that one next.
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10 comments:
Thanks for posting the recipe... We dont' have Peets here in France and I really miss it!! On the other hand, there are about 35 Starbucks in Paris... but you're right... Fraps are not the same as Freddos!! I'm going to try your recipe! Ciao.. Leesa
Have you ever smoked a hookah before? The Godiva Raspberry Freddo tastes like hookah smoke! Very unusual, but interesting taste.
I went to trader joes but they said they don't have the vanilla paste. Which location do you go to?
In Buenos Aires there is a place which is called Freddo and has the best ice-creams ever. Really, it is like a chain of shops, and it has delivery. I had a very good time there. I have rented some furnished apartments buenos aires, and I have eaten a lot of ice-cream.
Freddos aren't made with expresso shots unless you get extra bold. They use very strong coffee. Which is actually more caffienated the
I used to work at Peet's and they DO use espresso shots, unless they have changed since I left?
Kelsey is correct. They use strong coffee except for the extra bold caffe freddo which substitutes espresso shots for the strong coffee.
I, too, bought the Peet’s Cafe Freddo mix. I have been hoarding it for years as I kept it in the freezer. Right at this moment, I am drinking the last of it...I am going to try your recipe next time I get the urge for some (tomorrow?). Thanks for this...BTW, I used some leftover coffee from this morning and added espresso powder to it. This is delicious.
What's a good brand for vanilla paste these days?
I can't find your Trader Joe's brand online.
This recipe is spot on! I worked for Peets in the early 2000’s, and this is exactly how I remember them. Thank you for taking the time to figure it out.
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