This week we're heading back in time to the 2001 treat you never knew you wanted (because they don't sound very good): the orangey, chocolatey, coffee-y frappuccinos so eagerly inhaled by Derek Zoolander and friends, just moments before their tragic deaths in a freak gasoline fight accident.

 

Ingredients

For the simple syrup frappuccino base

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 Tbsp xanthan gum

For the homemade cold brew

  • 5 ounces coarsely ground dark roast coffee

  • 24 ounces water

For the chocolate syrup

  • 1 ½ cups sugar

  • 1 ½ cups water

  • 1 cup good cocoa powder

  • Kosher salt

  • Instant coffee (a pinch)

  • Vanilla extract, to taste

For the whipped cream

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

  • 1 vanilla bean pod, insides scraped

  • Dash of orange extract

For the Orange Mocha Frappuccino

  • 2 cups ice

  • 6 Tbsp frappuccino base syrup

  • 1 Tbsp homemade chocolate syrup

  • 1 cup homemade cold brew

  • ¾ cup milk

Method

Orange Mocha Frappuccino

  1. Start by making simple syrup. Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar and bring to a simmer. Stir to make sure all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

  2. In a blender, combine 1 Tbsp xanthan gum with 2 cups of simple syrup. Blend on high speed until completely incorporated and relatively thick. This makes the syrup for the frappuccino base. Set the syrup aside.

  3. To make the cold brew, combine 5 ounces coarsely ground dark roast coffee with 24 ounces of water in a french press. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 12-18 hours. After it has steeped, push the plunger down of the french press. You can strain the coffee again through a filter or cheese cloth.

  4. To make the chocolate syrup, combine 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ½ cups water, and 1 cup cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Whisk and simmer until everything is well combined and dissolved. At the end, add a pinch of instant coffee and a little bit of vanilla extract to deepen the syrup flavor. Pour syrup into a glass container and let it cool completely.

  5. To make the whipped cream, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, and a dash of orange extract in a medium bowl. Scrape the inside out of 1 vanilla bean pod and add to bowl. Whip your cream by hand, with a stand mixer, or whipped cream dispenser.

  6. In a blender, add: 2 cups of ice, 6 Tbsp of the syrup base, 1 Tbsp homemade chocolate syrup, 1 cup cold brew, and ¾ cup milk. Blend on high speed for 45 seconds.

  7. Swirl the inside of your cup with chocolate syrup. This is purely optional, but completes the aesthetic. Add your frappuccino, top it with homemade whipped cream, and add a light drizzle of chocolate sauce on top.