Starbucks new Oleato™, launched in Milan, Italy in early 2023, they add Partanna real Italian extra virgin olive oil. A shocking and strange marriage, you may think? They use this beverage in various coffee drink recipes, claiming that it brings a new experience to the coffee realm and must be tasted to be believed. Starbucks feature 3 Oleato™ drinks, golden foam cold brew, a caffe latte with oat milk and a shaken espresso with oat milk and toffee nut. Remember the bullet-proof coffee craze? Well, this is now the olive oil craze. Plus, if you’re fasting (or intermittent fasting) bulletproof coffee actually breaks the fast due to the inclusion of butter which can raise your glucose levels and in turn, breaks the fast. Olive oil does not affect blood sugar and thus keeps you in fasting mode. In addition to this, there are actually health benefits to olive oil (see below for more on this). I decided to explore this for myself and create my own summer coffee drink which is a slight take on the a cross between the golden foam and the latte. So, lets dive in, shall we?
Starbucks use way too much sugar
Golden foam cold brew has 19 grams (5 teaspoons) of sugar per serving. The caffe latte has no sugar (a better option) and the shaken espresso has 32 grams (8 teaspoons) sugar because of the toffee nut syrup. Now, when I was testing this recipe I tried it with and without sugar. I do not add sugar to my tea or coffee, but I did feel the taste benefitted from a little sugar but only to the tune of 1 teaspoon. A LOT less than theirs. Starbucks Oleato™ starts with cold brew coffee. I’m going to show you my favorite and easiest way for the best cold brew coffee (with a few of my own tips thrown in there).
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew is much stronger than regular drip/brewed coffee. The reason being, it is steeped with cold water for a long period (typically 8 to 12 hours) with freshly coarse ground beans which means it needs longer to extract the flavor from the beans.
Making the best cold brew coffee
There are two very important things to consider here – these are use cold water and coarse ground beans. Coarse ground is best as this helps prevent bitterness. If you use a finer grind, the coffee will extract quicker and you won’t need to brew it as long. This would be a win for time, BUT, the coffee will end up being very bitter. Note: If you’re a plain black coffee drinker, I recommend a little sweetener to enhance the flavor of both the coffee and the olive oil.
Tips for the best cold foam
Use very cold milk. Just like when making whipped cream, the cold helps froth up faster. Use milk with the most fat as the fat helps achieve more foam. Use a stainless jug to keep the milk cold.
The best milk for cold foam
Any of your favorite dairy or non-dairy milks, even flavored coffee creamer. The more fat the better as it will foam up more. The easiest way (and the way I prefer) is an inexpensive hand frother.
Homemade non-dairy milk
Making your own nut or oat milk at home is so easy and can be more cost effective than buying, plus, there’s not all the added ingredients. Oat milk is one of my favorites as well as Peppermint Mocha Creamer. Soy can also be used.
Extra virgin olive oil healthy benefits
(information from the U.S. F.D.A) So these are 7 good reasons to add olive oil to your morning coffee, but it is calorie dense so moderation is key here.
Ratio of olive oil to coffee
½ teaspoon olive oil to 8 ounces coffee is a good ratio because this particular brand has a strong flavor. You don’t want strong olive oil tasting coffee, you just want it to gently enhance the flavor of the coffee.
Best way to serve cold brew with cold foam
There’s 1 of 2 ways, in a tall glass over ice, or in a glass mug.
Serving Size
This recipe yields 5 servings. That is 8 ounces (236 ml) of coffee, plus the milk. The amount of milk added is up to you.
