Homemade Cola Recipe
Keith
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Caramel Syrup
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 4 allspice berries
- 1 cinnamon stick, lightly crushed
- ¼ cup boiling water
Kola
- 2 tablespoons kola nuts, chopped if whole
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup lime zest (from about 10 limes)
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon citric acid (or use 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the caramel syrup: In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water, allspice and cinnamon to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 380°, 12 to 14 minutes. At this point it will turn deep brown quickly, so keep an eye on it, swirling the pan often, until the mixture is deep brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Turn off the heat and immediately add the boiling water to prevent the syrup from solidifying. Set aside.
- Make the cola: In a small saucepan, bring the kola nuts and water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use your fingers to rub the lime zest into 2 tablespoons of the sugar to extract the oils from the citrus zest. Add the lime-sugar mixture to the kola nuts along with the cooled caramel syrup, lime juice, citric acid, vanilla and the remaining sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes, take off the heat and cool completely. Line a sieve with a doubled layer of cheesecloth and set over an airtight container, then strain the cooled cola mixture through the cheesecloth. Refrigerate for up to a month. To serve, mix ¼ cup (2 ounces) of the cola with the soda water.