Coffee Companion, aka Homemade ‘Coffee Mate’
1 pint half and half or cream, whichever you prefer
1 vanilla bean
1-2 T sugar, to tasteHeat half and half in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts steaming, but is not yet boiling. Remove from heat. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into half and half. Add the bean to the half and half.
Cover, and let infuse until mixture is cool. Remove vanilla beam, add sugar, and stir. Pour into a bottle or jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
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My last remaining vice in the high-fructose-corn-syrup-laden, partially-hydrogenated, machine-cuisine world I’ve been gradually opting out of is, believe it or not, French Vanilla Coffee Mate.
Eww, gross! you’re probably thinking…
This is the ingredient list, transcribed from the back of the container:
Water, sugar, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil, sodium castenate, dipotassium phosphate, color added, natural and artificial flavors, sodium stearoyl lactylate, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 60, carrageenan, beta-carotene color
Seriously, what the heck is ‘beta-carotene color’??
So now that we’ve seen all the un-pronounable things that ARE in there, let’s make a note of what’s NOT in there: Cream, vanilla.
But, oh the convenience of flavoring my morning coffee in one fell swoop! I’ve tried getting off ‘the Mate’ (as Steven calls it) a few times before, but before that first sip of coffee, it’s hard for me to motivate to get out the cream AND the sugar, let alone anything remotely resembling vanilla. I’ll go for a day or two or three, but eventually I make my way back to … the Mate.
And then it dawned on me — I can make my own coffee mate, and hence was born ‘Coffee Companion’: vanilla-infused cream with a little bit of sugar, all conveniently stored in an easily pourable jar — eureka!! It’s absolutely as easy, and far more delcious than any industrial coffee additive.
Besides vanilla, one could make a coffee companion in a variety a flavors, such as:
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- maple syrup (with this just mix the cream and syrup, and omit any sugar)
- cloves
… to name a few.
And on a related note, check out the latest post (and the comments) over at Ethicurean about Reddi-Whip, Cool-Whip, and plain old whipped cream… very amusing
Still Hungry? Try one of these:
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Comments
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 pm and is filed under Delectable Dairy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
hahah! i saw that picture and thought to myself, “that seems a little out of place…” but now you have a substitute! i probably have a worse deep-dark-coffee-secret than you — i use two packets of equal in each cup. i shouldn’t even admit that….
katy - the first step is admitting you have a problem :) just kidding…
That is just to funny bc I am hooked to the same mate and flavor too. I love coffee but UGH I can not even drink it without my mate, lol. My husband brought home some other brand once and I made him take it back asap. So does your new one really taste the same? I am def up for that plus it’s nice to know what is going in it. THANKS…
Noor - thanks for commenting!
No, it does not taste the same, but it does taste good… a hint of vanilla, a little sweetness… I would use cream and put in an extra tablespoon of sugar if you like the sweetness and texture of ‘the Mate’… best case: you try it and like it, worst case: you go back to the mate :)
what a great idea! i’m on the opposite side of the spectrum — i love the *idea* of flavored creamer, but it’s always too sweet and too thin when i’m used to half&half. somehow i never thought of this way of having the flavor without the sugar. now i will get to experimenting :)
Great idea on making homemade coffee “mate”!.
My mom needs this recipe. She loves that store bought stuff.
Oooooh I call it Juice, ;-P
but seeing as lacto is a no no, I’m stuck.
I have used almond milk flavored with some vanilla pods with suitable success; but I’m stuck on the convenience of the little pull tab cups that I can take to work easy.
Its interesting to learn about all the Coffee Mate addicts out there. Our drug of choice is the Creme Brulee. Have tried several times to cold turkey it but always go back. I will try your recipe bc I definitely dont want the HFCS. It should be called Crack-Mate.
[…] listed above): The Pros: - Ingredient list is entirely pronounceable (you all know how I feel about processed foods); here’s the ingredient list for the Tangerine White Tea: Brewed Tea (white and green […]
Too funny! A support group for all us ‘mate’ addicts! I left my CMate (Fat free, vanilla) due to pre-diabetic symptoms and went to half and half. Now I’m giving up dairy as best I can, due to inflammation problems, but, oh so missing my daily, morning coffee mate rendevous.
I tried french vanilla Silk soy coffee creamer, but it takes a lot to measure up to my expectations, so cools off the coffee (and pricey). I love the viscosity (is that the right term?) of fat free coffee mate, but all that high fructose corn syrup - yowsers!!
I may give the almond milk a try!
Oh my, to see so many of you out there with my addiction is somewhat liberating. I also add 2 packets of splenda to mine. I’m off all other high fructose corn syrup and other packaged foods, but can’t beat this one. I’ll definitely try this new recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jen:
My wife and I have four adult daughters, three married and one still single. All are comfortable with flavored “Coffeemate”, I am not and enjoy or I should say enjoyed the original “Coffeemate” until about two months ago. At that time they changed the supplied product at our Publix Market here in Rockledge Florida to a new improved “Coffeemate”. I don’t like it. It taste like a sugared water with a cream color. I’ve phoned the Nestle Company twice in this regard in the hope they might suggest how to improve my cup of coffee to no avail.
Can you recommend a substitution for the original “Original Coffeemate” with the original taste and texture.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jim
I am addicted to Almaretto coffee creamer and they discontinued it! I will try your recipe, but I noticed in the store they have “nonfat” half and Half. Would that work?…or what can we use for less calories?…lactose free?
Thanks - I love your blog site!
Hi Y’all, I’m a novice about these things that you all discuss here so, don’t admonish me too much! Anyway, I wondered if “sweetened condensed” milk would work to make the Coffee Mate substitute? Thoughts, please.
Hi Rebecca, I think that sweetened condensed milk would actually work quite well. I would leave out the sugar that the recipes calls for though. Also, make sure to get a brand that isn’t full of chemicals and additives, or I think you can even make your own — I have seen recipes on the internet but never tried it myself
Okay, my husband said to me this morning “Because I love my coffee and creamer and you read the ingredients and make me think about it and almost gag (=) I am putting you in charge of finding out how to make it yourself.” So happy that I found this. One question, though, do you add the beans and the pod or just the bean??? Thanks so much!
Melissa
Hi Melissa — thanks for commenting! I typically split open the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the cream, then drop the whole bean in as well. You can also experiment with other flavors — cinnamon, cardamom, almond extract, etc. etc. Enjoy!
Coffeemate Anonymous meetings.. I love it! Someone make a blog or site! I’ll be your fan!