How to create your own Pumpkin Spice Latte for almost…

How to create your own Pumpkin Spice Latte for almost half the price of a Starbucks

September has struck, which means it's almost time to say goodbye to summer for another year. After a string of heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures, most people will be ready to welcome the cooler days and darker nights that autumn brings with it.

There is so much to look forward to as the weather turns colder, from Bonfire Night, to Halloween - and dare we even mention it? - Christmas! But the changing of seasons just wouldn't be the same if it didn't begin with the re-launch of a classic autumn beverage; the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

First launched in Starbucks some 19 years ago, the iconic drink - known affectionately as a PSL - has become a yearly tradition highly anticipated by coffee lovers globally. And it's caught on, with Costa Coffee bringing out their own seasonal drink, the Bonfire Spiced Latte, to rival the PSL.

Even budget bakery Greggs released a version of the autumnal beverage. This year, many people might be attempting to recreate the drink themselves at home.

Coffee experts at Jackandbeyond.com tasked themselves with finding out out how much it would cost to make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte at home. Using products from tesco.com, the PSL magic could be recreated for £3.55 - around £2.26 cheaper than the Starbucks version.

Sophia Zimmer, expert at jackandbeyond.com, shared her take on why you should try to recreate Starbucks’ PSL at home. She said: "Creating the PSL at home is an easy activity that you can do as a family to ensure you are saving money on daily Starbucks trips, and instead have the opportunity to perfect for your own taste.

“It is also worth bearing in mind the positive environmental impact that making your own PSL might have as you are lowering food waste by using things you probably already have in your cupboard. You can put Starbucks to shame by going a step further and decorate with edible glitter, chocolate dusting art, as well as adding caramel sauce if it wasn’t already sweet enough.”

Here's how it's done...

1. Create some pumpkin puree

The first step is to make the pumpkin puree. Begin by slicing, deseeding and then deveining your pumpkin. Bake the pumpkin for 45 minutes at 190C in a preheated oven.

Blend in a food processor until smooth. If you are short on time, perhaps try a pre-made pumpkin puree that will make the process speedier — especially if you are in the midst of a busy work week.

2. Create the perfect spice blend

While you wait for the puree to bake, you can begin to create the vital spice blend that gives the latte its distinctive flavour. To create the perfect blend of spices, you will need:

4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.”

It is worth noting that this recipe can be adapted to suit most dietary requirements or if you only have cinnamon sticks, you can ground down to be used in this recipe.

3. Heat up your chosen milk

In a pan, warm 2 mugs of your chosen milk (dairy or non-dairy alternative). Alternatively you can heat and froth your milk using a milk frother machine or in a separate pan on your hob.

4. Mix together

To complete, in a heatproof glass or mug, combine 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree and 1 shot of espresso, add half a teaspoon of your spice mix and whisk until smooth. For extra sweetness, include 1 tablespoon of sugar or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Add in the warm milk and any leftover froth and stir.

5. Enjoy and relax with your homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

To achieve maximum autumnal cosiness, serve in a large mug or, to achieve the café aesthetic, serve in a tall glass. Don’t forget to serve with whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa powder and a cinnamon stick for stirring.

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