Iced Purple Potato Latte with Vanilla Bean Cold Foam

Purple potato and cardamom infused latte is perfected with fragrant, velvety, vanilla bean speckled foam. It’s cool, creamy and elegant, with a mellow sweetness and silken finish. Iced Purple Potato Latte with Vanilla Bean Cold Foam is visually striking thanks to its natural lavender-hue from anthocyanins—the antioxidants that give purple potatoes their color. This is an indulgent, coffee free, fiber rich, nutritive take on the modern café latte-style beverage.

I am always looking for unique and elevated ways to use produce. Years ago, I came across purple potato and fell in love with this stunning tuber. Purple potato comes in shades ranging from royal purple and amethyst to a deep indigo, and retains color even after cooking. There are several varieties of purple potato, but my “go to” tends to be the Stokes purple potato as it’s easiest to find year-round, although I sometimes use other varieties with comparable flavor, such as the Okinawan purple potato.

Serving Iced Purple Potato Latte with Vanilla Bean Cold Foam is always a delightful experience. The color makes people happy and the flavor makes them smile. While there are a few steps to making this drink, they are all simple and come together easily; resulting in an impressive beverage that reads like art in a glass.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Visual Appeal: The vibrant natural lavender hue creates a striking aesthetic without the use of artificial dyes.
• Unique Flavor Profile: This beverage boasts an exotic earthy sweetness and refined texture with body that is at once chiffon like and substantial.
• Nutritive Benefits: It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber, providing benefits beyond basic hydration, making it a “functional” beverage.
• Versatility: In addition to serving Iced Purple Potato Latte with Vanilla Bean Cold Foam as a café beverage, I like to serve it in flutes or cordial glasses as an elegant amuse-bouche at luncheons and afternoon tea. Larger formats like the highball or Collins glass are fantastic as a dessert course. This drink is enchanting as a mocktail or as a “little” luxury to punctuate the day.

Pro Tips

• You can find purple potato at a variety of shops:
  • Specialty high-end markets such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Earth Fare and Wegmans
  • Standard grocers like Harris Teeter, Kroger and Giant often carry them in the specialty produce section
  • Farmer’s Markets are often a good source for unique produce
  • Asian Markets such as H-Mart, Lotte and 99 Ranch
  • Online sources such as Melissa’s Produce

• Customize the flavor profile of this drink by using a botanical infused milk. Warm the milk base to just below a boil, take it off the heat, add botanicals, cover and steep for 20-30 minutes. Strain and discard botanicals. Chill the infused milk base before use in the final drink. Botanical options include:
  • pandan
  • lavender buds
  • rose petals
  • whole star anise
  • toasted buckwheat
  • toasted coconut

• You can add some flavorings directly into the latte, no infusion needed. Options include:
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground ginger 
  • rose water
  • almond extract

• To increase the “functionality of this drink, there are several things you can add to the base of your latte to boost its nutritive content without changing its flavor profile, including:
  • Fiber Powder (I prefer RenewLife Completely Clear Organic Prebiotic Fiber): Supports gut health and slows the absorption of carbohydrates and sugars.
  • Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides (I recommend Vital Proteins): Provides additional protein for skin and joint health.
  • MCT Powder (the powder version is better for mixing into iced drinks): Adds healthy fats for sustained energy.
  • L- Theanine: An amino acid found in tea that promotes focus and relaxation.

• Chill frothing pitcher in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before frothing the cold foam. This helps the foam froth quickly and hold its shape and texture.

• There are multiple types of equipment that can be used to froth cold foam, options include:
  • French Press: Add cold foam ingredients to the carafe. Pump plunger rapidly for 30-45 seconds until volume doubles.  
  • Mason Jar: Add cold foam ingredients to a mason jar. Shake vigorously until volume doubles. This method does not yield the most refined foam but will do nicely in a pinch.
  • Frothing Wand: Add cold foam to a large cylindrical milk frothing pitcher, glass or cocktail shaker. Leave room for expansion. Hold whisk head at an angle just below the surface of the liquid and whisk until thick
  • Immersion Blender: Add cold foam ingredients to a tall, narrow container to prevent splashing. Submerge blender head fully, then pulse or blend on low speed for 30-60 seconds until the liquid becomes thick and velvety.
  • Electric Frother: Add cold foam ingredients into a glass or milk frothing pitcher. Submerge frother at a slight angle and pulse for 20-30 seconds. Use the cold foam setting on the machine if it has one.

• Use a spoon to gently pour and layer the cold foam over the latte. This prevents the weight of the foam from plunging into the latte, preserving distinct color layers and preventing premature mixing. Hold the spoon backside-up just above the latte surface. Slowly pour the foam over the curved back to disperse its weight and create a clean layered finish.

• Chill glasses for 10 minutes in fridge before filling with ice, latte base, cold foam and serving. This helps keep your beverage cooler for longer.

Sip on the sublime! Dive into the recipe below for a craft experience that rivals your favorite café.

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